(L-R) Mandy Moore and Martin Freeman
Writer: David Bromberg
Director: Justin Theroux
Notable Actors: Billy Crudup
I don’t know what I expected from this, but I’m certain I didn’t get it. Things were all very paint-by-numbers in a way similar to, but not as sickly as, 500 Days of Summer. (The reason there’s no review for that recently-viewed masterpiece of shite here is I couldn’t get through it beyond the fifteen minute mark. The fact I’m the type of long-established indie kid who gets pissed when singer Get Cape Wear Cape Fly is described as a band didn’t help matters.)
So the tone is similar to (what I’ve seen of) 500 Days. The father/son relationship is similar to In Bruges – the dialogue is almost interchangeable and each actor even somewhat resembles their foil. The relationship has so many modern supposedly-indie-chic-flick-chic elements to do anything but generalise would be a compliment to thoroughly-deserving-of-insult writer.
What else? Martin Freeman’s haircut is disastrous. Even if it was good, it’s Martin Freeman. And some much younger pretty young thing; yes, we get it, well done, that’s the point; isn’t going to fall for Martin Freeman.
Actually, that’s unfair. Fair enough, she may, but to believe he’s horribly caught between two (presumably, as this is a western movie) beautiful women? Martin Freeman’s the adorable oddball you imagine slightly odd girls are proud to take home to meet mum. Not some dry academic lothario. Who writes dry academic tomes on romance because OTHERWISE THIS ISN’T ‘INDIE’ LOL.
The entire thing made me want to shake my head then comfort it in my hands. And then dive for the whiskey. Things were predictable and got worse. The ‘shock’ toward the end is eyerolling as the irreplaceable is replaced. If it was that simple why go to all the effort in the first place? WE DON’T KNOW IT’S INDIE AND YOU WEAR FLORAL PRINT DRESSES SO YOU’LL LOVE IT!
Then there’s the climax which tries so hard to force you to care. Failing miserably…it’s a given. It’s just pathetic. Pathetic in the way New Year’s revellers who accept their boyfriend’s drunken proposal are pathetic.
The fuckery about the acting game is when truly great artists have to take paychecks. He may have had modest successes but his cameo-like appearances here show it’s a paycheck. There is no way the alternative of a profile raise is the issue here. Freeman knows it so dearly he doesn’t even bother, meaning the film’s only possible chance of redemption isn’t in it. It’s depressing. But look at the genre in which it sits. It can’t be anything but…
…LOL U JKS C U ON TUMBLR !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Note: Apologies for the ironic shouty hipster speak. I thoroughly deserve any beating given or implied.
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