Something's Gotta Give

Something's Gotta Give

 
Something's Gotta Give
Rating: 8/10

Romance along a windswept sea? Yeah, this one has got that. It is fun to watch a story based on romance after the traditional twenty something years. It seems a little more complicated for the characters within that age group, there is a lot more rigidity as far as preferences, lifestyle, and schedule, but the end result is a good laugh and some heartwarming moments in this movie. Both Keaton and Nicholson gave a great performance in this film, but there is no great surprise there.

An interesting facet to this film was watching the phases Erica (Keaton) progressed through as she considered a relationship, balanced multiple romantic interests, and finally as she slammed rock bottom and crawled through the healing process, box of tissues in tow. Each phase brought to mind the idea that artists tend to fall into the generalization of being overly dramatic and emotional, but it is sure fun to watch it play out between these two main characters. Watching Erica (Keaton) as she fought with herself through each romantic decision and its consequences was beautifully played with great facial features that told all in the moment.

A great hitch to the successful life of Erica (Keaton) is Harry (Nicholson). Harry is a womanizing bachelor that prefers the company of a younger woman, but is struggling in accepting the fact that he may end up alone if he continues down his comfortable road. Nicholson's character is so ridiculous in his belief system that you have to laugh at the lengths he goes to in order to preserve his current lifestyle. A wonderful unfolding and deepening of Harry (Nicholson) begins to play out after he realizes that the turtle-neck toting playwright (Keaton) has a lot more to offer than what he originally judged from her age.   

The two secondary characters, Julian (Reeves) and Zoe (McDormand) were a great accent to the film. Julian (Reeves) added the sweet guy choice that threw a wrench into Erica's (Keaton) plans. The idea of ageism within relationships was well played in the two main characters. Between Harry (Nicholson) and his gorgeous young entourage or Erica (Keaton) and her dreamy young doctor the issue of awkward romantic interest became a foundation for this movie. Plus, the double-standard that Erica (Keaton) was faced with in meeting Julian (Reeves) after judging Harry (Nicholson) for the same behavior gave a nice twist to Erica's (Keaton) struggles.

Zoe (McDormand) was an amazing secondary character in this film! I loved her strength and no-nonsense feminist attitude. She gave wonderful comic relief and was a blast to watch when pitted up against Harry (Nicholson).

One of my only complaints with this movie is that it felt like it was getting a little long by the end, but there was also a definite vested interest to see where the story led.

In the End: This is a good one for a girls night in with some wine and lots of good laughs.

The Lucky One

The Lucky One

The Lucky One

Rating: 7/10

This movie provides an interesting twist on romance and fate. A sweet point for me in this picture was watching all the dogs featured, both with the main character, as well as at the boarding facility. As an animal lover this was  a great added bonus. The plot unfolded in a bit of a predictable, yet enjoyable way. Overall, this was a welcome way to spend a lazy evening at home.

Not having read the novel, I am not sure if the stiffness I felt with "Logan" (Zac Efron) throughout the film was due to an acting choice or the background of the character he was depicting. Some of the lines that Efron delivered seemed very forced and unnatural to the point that it drew my attention away from the story and into the dialog in an awkward way. "Beth" (Taylor Schilling) was fine with her character and believable within the role. The grandmother, "Ellie" (Blythe Danner) was fabulous! She had a straight-shooting, cut-the-crap attitude about life, but there was also a deep love and devotion toward the people in her life as well. This combination brought a few great laugh out loud moments from "Ellie", and in a way brought you to root for the two main characters more by feeling the emotional investment the grandmother had in the match. I loved each time she called "Beth" out on her interest in "Logan".

The chemistry between the two main characters seemed decent for the most part, although the above mentioned stiffness of the dialog from Efron impacted this for me. The intimate moments depicted in the movie combined sheer lust with some gestures of tenderness which played well together. Efron and Schilling seemed to have a good connection for the intimate scenes.

A factor I found pleasing in the story was the way in which "Logan" rolled with the punches that his new home in Louisiana threw at him. From the local ex still in "Beth's" life, to the emotional turmoil that was present from his military past, as well as "Beth" and Ellie's" past, "Logan" maintained a calm neutrality that was inspiring to see in a male character.  

The landscapes captured were wonderful, the lighting in the cinematography was perfect. Lots of use of that golden, fading into the birth of the night type of sunlight, which is a favorite for me on screen. All in all, the effect created was of looking back over a memory, and sharing in the unfolding of a story between two people.

One annoying factor to this film for me was the musical soundtrack. At times it seemed either too loud for the dialog, or the wrong choice altogether for the scene being set. It was distracting, rather than beneficial.

In the End: This is a great one for a date night. It was cute movie which left me with a happy, hopeful feeling (always a good thing). It is one I think I would watch again. 

Hope Springs

Hope Springs

Hope Springs

Rating: 4/10

When you combine the acting talent of Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones you would think that you would get a great combination for a movie. At least this is what I thought after watching the trailer. In a sense that is exactly what happened, however the positive points stopped just about there.

The film started off with a great acting portrayal of a conservative, middle class couple living life after the kids have gone. Some of the comments from "Arnold" (Tommy Lee Jones) were laugh out loud funny, especially during his first visits to the dreaded counseling sessions. Just great. Meryl Streep did an incredible job creating a character that had seemingly spent the majority of her life grinning and maintaining "the peace" to her husband's outbursts because she obviously loved him deeply. The facial expressions from both Streep and Jones were, as to be expected, a wonderful addition to the progression of the story.

The main setting for this film was supposed to be in a small town in Maine. The shots of the town location gave a quaint feel that definitely had a New England tinge to them. I enjoyed watching the pieces in the small diner, and those highlighting some of the side streets as they walked around.

After a short while into watching the movie the plot seemed to slow down and drag out. I was expecting a bit more laughs with this one, but that seemed to die off for me before I hit the halfway mark in playtime.

From a healer's perspective I was concerned with some of the messages this movie gave. First of all, when a couple seeks help in their marriage I feel it is very limited to focus primarily on their sex life. Sure, sexuality is an important part of most healthy relationships, but I feel that it is not being holistically minded to think that if we fix problems in the bedroom that everything else in the relationship will magically fall into place. There appeared to be communication, shared interest, and support issues present, but these were not addressed at all. When "Kay" (Streep) first approached the counseling sessions it seemed she was looking to connect with her husband in regards to emotional, as well as, sexual intimacy, but it seems in the end sex fixes it all in this movie.

The second concern I had was when the counselor, "Dr. Bernie Feld" (Carell), suggested that certain sexual acts that "Kay" was not comfortable with be explored regardless of her comfort level. He stated that it is a matter of pride that should be put aside in these cases for the good of pleasing a husbands, as well as being pleased yourself. What the heck type of advice is this? Nails down a chalkboard moment for me here. I would never recommend that a patient simply put aside their feelings of discomfort, nor would I suggest that these feelings are based on pride without knowing the underlying cause. It felt very sexist and male oriented as far as advice goes here. When was the counselor going to address that fact that "Kay" is also looking for emotional intimacy that her husband is obviously incapable of at the time of the counseling sessions?

Another point of frustration for me was that it appeared that "Arnold" (Jones) was suffering from a possible form of ED (erectile dysfunction) in the movie that was somehow linked to "Kay" (Streep). I saw this every time intimacy (emotional or sexual) was brought up by "Kay". However, the story behind this was never revealed. I was left wondering, "what was happening with him?"

In the End:

After watching this film I found myself frustrated with what felt like very male focused advice in the film, as well as bored by the slow progression of the plot. The 4/10 rating for this movie is based more on the acting of both Streep and Jones, as well as some of the comedy early on in the film. This is not one I would recommend for a date night if you want to be left feeling happy and hopeful about your future together.

Welcome to My Movie Night

Welcome to My Movie Night blog!

Whether an escape at the end of your day, a night shared with friends and laughter, or that basis for an intimate connection with your loved one, a movie night can become a memorable experience with the right choice in a movie. This blog provides reviews of various movies, and leaves you with an "in the end" comment about how you may feel after watching the film (or at least how I was left feeling after watching the film). It is my hope that the reflections that I provide here for you help you find a perfect match for your own memorable movie night!

Blessings,

~Abby