This movie is about a parent (Will Smith) coping with the grief of losing a 6 yr old child. This was in no way as bad as the critics cried out to be.
Howard (will smith) used to be an advertising genius and entrepreneur before he became devastated with the loss of his daughter. Being the majority shareholder of his firm he became a ship which was pulling everyone to the bottom as it sank. So when his partners were unable to bring him back over a period of 2yrs they "gaslight" him. Howard in his own grief was completely detached with the world outside. His partners and employees were at the brink of joblessness and financial ruin. Whit (Edward Norton), Claire (Kate Winslet) and Simon (Michael Peña) are his long time partners and friends. They employ a PI to monitor his actions so that they could render him mentally unsound and thus incapable of using his majority shareholder voting rights in the decision to sell the business to another firm. In the meantime Whit whose mother is slightly mentally unsound has an idea to employ actors impersonating Love time and death , the 3 abstracts that Howard is obsessed with. HOWARD had written poignant letters to all 3 abstracts which the PI had acquired.it was an attempt to step into Howards reality and help him recuperate or else use the evidence against him. The letters written by Howard were soul wrenching. This was a father whose career and marriage fell apart because he didn't know how to deal with his grief. The story shows different ways to cope like going to group therapy sessions. It also shows that there is a difference between how each parent of the same child copes and perceives the situation. There are sub plots revolving Whit,Claire and Simon too who think they have chosen actors but actually the 3 abstracts chose them one each to show what they were each missing out.
Helen Mirren as Death couldn't be more firm in her consolations or more sassy in her attitude reflecting the inevitability and finality that she represents. Its also ironical that death which should be the end of all pains is a woman as opposed to all cultures showing Death as a formidable man. Keira Knightley as Love was the cutest and smartest form Love could come in. She looks fuller,says clever and funny lines and yet reflects compassion and pain in her eyes just as love should be. Jacob Latimore as time is curt and impatient. He is smart and speaks in mysterious ways contradicting himself at times, rebukes and mocks Howard and Claire on how we waste its gifts. I liked the movie. It touched my heart although the plot could have been smarter. May be more depth and credibility could have been lent to the sub plots. Kate winslet was good but was wasted in a somewhat soppy character. I resented that. Edward Norton as Whit who was recently divorced due to his philandering, stayed with his sick mom and at the brink of financial ruin was aptly portrayed. He is the suave Newyorker who takes advices from uber driver (Try to step in their reality rather than force our own on them.Would love to take therapy from such an uber driver).Micheal Peña as Simon who way dying due to cancer, was mostly coughing through the movie which was slightly cliché. These are some holes i found but not worth panning the movie altogether.
Howard (will smith) used to be an advertising genius and entrepreneur before he became devastated with the loss of his daughter. Being the majority shareholder of his firm he became a ship which was pulling everyone to the bottom as it sank. So when his partners were unable to bring him back over a period of 2yrs they "gaslight" him. Howard in his own grief was completely detached with the world outside. His partners and employees were at the brink of joblessness and financial ruin. Whit (Edward Norton), Claire (Kate Winslet) and Simon (Michael Peña) are his long time partners and friends. They employ a PI to monitor his actions so that they could render him mentally unsound and thus incapable of using his majority shareholder voting rights in the decision to sell the business to another firm. In the meantime Whit whose mother is slightly mentally unsound has an idea to employ actors impersonating Love time and death , the 3 abstracts that Howard is obsessed with. HOWARD had written poignant letters to all 3 abstracts which the PI had acquired.it was an attempt to step into Howards reality and help him recuperate or else use the evidence against him. The letters written by Howard were soul wrenching. This was a father whose career and marriage fell apart because he didn't know how to deal with his grief. The story shows different ways to cope like going to group therapy sessions. It also shows that there is a difference between how each parent of the same child copes and perceives the situation. There are sub plots revolving Whit,Claire and Simon too who think they have chosen actors but actually the 3 abstracts chose them one each to show what they were each missing out.
Helen Mirren as Death couldn't be more firm in her consolations or more sassy in her attitude reflecting the inevitability and finality that she represents. Its also ironical that death which should be the end of all pains is a woman as opposed to all cultures showing Death as a formidable man. Keira Knightley as Love was the cutest and smartest form Love could come in. She looks fuller,says clever and funny lines and yet reflects compassion and pain in her eyes just as love should be. Jacob Latimore as time is curt and impatient. He is smart and speaks in mysterious ways contradicting himself at times, rebukes and mocks Howard and Claire on how we waste its gifts. I liked the movie. It touched my heart although the plot could have been smarter. May be more depth and credibility could have been lent to the sub plots. Kate winslet was good but was wasted in a somewhat soppy character. I resented that. Edward Norton as Whit who was recently divorced due to his philandering, stayed with his sick mom and at the brink of financial ruin was aptly portrayed. He is the suave Newyorker who takes advices from uber driver (Try to step in their reality rather than force our own on them.Would love to take therapy from such an uber driver).Micheal Peña as Simon who way dying due to cancer, was mostly coughing through the movie which was slightly cliché. These are some holes i found but not worth panning the movie altogether.