George Clooney's The Tender Trap wants to be a feel good movie. Instead it is too smug and self congratulatory.
Based on writer JR Moehringer's memoirs. The film is set in two timelines.
Young JR in the early 1970s has moved to his grandfather's house in Long Island with his mum. His dad a radio DJ known as The Voice has abandoned them a long time ago.
Mum is not happy moving to back. It is a sign of failure. JR loves the mayhem of living with his extended family. He also comes into contact with his Uncle Charlie (Ben Affleck) who becomes a surrogate father to JR.
Charlie runs a bar called Dickens, reads books and gives JR life lessons.
The older JR has got into Yale in the 1980s. His mother wants JR to become a lawyer so he can chase his father for child support. JR wants to be a writer.
He also falls for a girl called Sydney who uses JR for sex a few times and then casually drops him.
The trouble with the movie is that the first part featuring the young JR is more interesting than the second part.
The older JR played by Tye Sheridan travels a well worn path as he heads for college. It also has too many cliches especially the drunk deadbeat dad with a violent temper.
Affleck's performance has been praised. He plays it in a style Clooney would had done, if he had played Uncle Charlie.
Based on writer JR Moehringer's memoirs. The film is set in two timelines.
Young JR in the early 1970s has moved to his grandfather's house in Long Island with his mum. His dad a radio DJ known as The Voice has abandoned them a long time ago.
Mum is not happy moving to back. It is a sign of failure. JR loves the mayhem of living with his extended family. He also comes into contact with his Uncle Charlie (Ben Affleck) who becomes a surrogate father to JR.
Charlie runs a bar called Dickens, reads books and gives JR life lessons.
The older JR has got into Yale in the 1980s. His mother wants JR to become a lawyer so he can chase his father for child support. JR wants to be a writer.
He also falls for a girl called Sydney who uses JR for sex a few times and then casually drops him.
The trouble with the movie is that the first part featuring the young JR is more interesting than the second part.
The older JR played by Tye Sheridan travels a well worn path as he heads for college. It also has too many cliches especially the drunk deadbeat dad with a violent temper.
Affleck's performance has been praised. He plays it in a style Clooney would had done, if he had played Uncle Charlie.