Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare
Cinematic Sommelier
6.8
Been a hot second since a movie gave me blue balls…
Can we please leave the non-linear storytelling to Christopher Nolan from now on? This thing is all over the place. And not in an intriguing way. In a “does that hairstyle mean we’re in a flashback?” way.
Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh have amazing chemistry, and there are some fun sequences… but it just left SO MUCH just… I don’t even know where. I had so much hope, movie!
7.9
When the third act twist hits in this one, it’s a gut punch for the ages. I really didn’t expect the depth that I got from this one. I expected funny moments interlaced with some heartfelt moments, but I didn’t expect this to be one of the most insightful and inspirational movies I’ve seen this fall. Aubrey Plaza and Maisy Stella play off of each other perfectly, and I can’t imagine anyone else in these roles. Hug your loved ones, gang… and don’t be afraid to take a leap of faith just because it might have an ending or hurt along the way.
8.4
Unexpectedly sweet. As family dramas go, this one fires on all cylinders and knocks it out of the park. The strength of the personality clashes really raises the stakes and the value of the payoff in the end. It took a while to find its footing and take off, but I did NOT expect the third act to hit as hard as it did. The dad processing his grief from the safety of portraying Romeo was such a tough watch but such a beautiful moment. Though I didn’t recognize any of the cast, they could not have been more perfect for their roles. A small but mighty film about family, love, grief, forgiveness, and getting outside of one’s comfort zone. Highly recommend!
4.5
I’ve heard this was made as a middle finger to those who liked the original… mission accomplished. “Insulting” is the one word I would use to describe this movie. And not in a good way. There have been films that challenge an unhealthy point of view or hold a mirror up to something and force the audience to think. This isn’t that. It’s just as sad as the guards beating up on Arthur the entire runtime. Unnecessary and sad.
You’ll notice this one doesn’t have a score. I’m not proud of this, but in the spirit of transparency… I walked out with ~1 hour left. It’s that bad. I couldn’t do it anymore.
I admire than Francis Ford Coppala putting his own money on the table and truly swinging for the fences with a daring piece of art… but I’ll be damned if it wasn’t one of the toughest watches of my career. And I’ve watch Tommy Wiseau’s “The Room” multiple times.
The dialogue is childish, the story is a mess at best, and the special effects are laughable (especially given the budget). Save yourself the 2 hours and go see literally anything else.
Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare 