Reviews

Yikes. From the opening scene of this movie, with the corny narration, there's little to redeem it. It's one of the most contrived and self-indulgent films I've ever seen. It reads like a bad romance novel. The music is manipulative and stereotypical. The dialogue is generally ridiculous.

Sarah's and Brad's relationship definitely has interest, and Kate Winslet's and Patrick Wilson's acting is the best in the movie. The rest of the characters, however, are absolutely implausible and tedious: poorly acted, with mysterious motivations and stilted interactions. I can't believe I wasted 2 hours of my life on this movie. The reason I've given it 3 stars is that the sex scenes are pretty good; I highly suggest skipping through the rest of this abomination and watching those 5 minutes of the movie.

Zoe Kazan's performance in The Exploding Girl was nuanced and heartfelt, but unfortunately diluted by her extensive screen time. The film spent ENTIRELY too much time lingering on Ivy staring contemplatively into the distance (an indulgence that plagues many indie films). For me, this was the only major flaw, and I felt that the movie overcame it. The cinematography was otherwise really beautiful, looking at the world in ways we don't usually think to look at it. The characters were real people, if not fully developed. They provided an honest look into the lives of modern young adults, whose relationships are sustained but also often trivialized by technology, like Ivy's ever-present cell phone.

This film is subtle, sincere and complex, and I'd recommend it if you're willing to sit through slow-moving scenes and lengthy shots of self-consciously thoughtful Ivy. If nothing else, the last minute of the film is a miraculous moment that absolves all its prior sins.

I went into this film with high hopes (Netflix told me I'd like it!) and was sorely disappointed. I love movies and usually have no problem with suspension of disbelief, but this film just went too far. Scene after scene was totally implausible and painfully predictable.

Protagonist voice-over narrative is difficult to pull off in most films, and sure enough, it didn't work in this one. The characters, especially Elijah Wood's, have no depth or arc; personalities are not only pretty flat but also inconsistent through the course of the movie. I could go on, but there are too many problems to list. Watch this movie if you like football (soccer) or are a sucker for British accents and meaningless violence; otherwise, stay away.

I expected a lot from this movie, but I found it to be somewhat contrived and definitely uninspired. It's predictably angsty about all the trappings of middle age — divorce, deteriorating appearance (which is hard to believe; Meryl Streep is gorgeous as ever), maturing children, etc. That angst isn't helped by a bland script and oddly pieced-together plot. Streep, Baldwin and Martin are fantastic actors, of course, and they do the best with what they're given, but I still wasn't drawn in or convinced by the movie.

Also, this was one of those irritating instances in which the previews billed the film as a snappy comedy, when it turned out to be more of a tearjerker-reconciliation-self-love deal. And if that's the kind of movie you're looking for, I'd suggest Eat Pray Love — equally uninspired and angst-ridden, but prettier to look at.

This is a really beautiful, sincere film that deserves way more recognition than it's gotten so far. The story is down-to-earth; the characters are real people. This movie had perhaps the most realistic representation of teenagers that I've ever seen, in all their wackiness, insecurities, and surprising maturity. I was especially struck by Willa Holland's performance as 15-year-old Taylor: pretty without being overly sexy, immature but with emotional depth. The cinematography was elegant; a focus on the innocent play of water park guests gave the film heart. I encourage you to watch this movie; it will surprise you!