Men, Women & Children Review
RYAN: I was so excited to see this movie because it appeared to be one of my favorite sub-genres which is disturbing suburban drama.
CAROLINE: (laughs) You just created that.
RYAN: Yes. It’s the American Beauty-esque, Towelhead, Little Children type of movie – everything appears perfect in the burbs but there are cracks and something disturbing happens by the end. Sadly, this movie is not on the same par as those.
CAROLINE: Sadly, no. It’s from director Jason Rietman whom we all know and love from Juno and Up in the Air. I hesitate to say he’s lost his touch, but this one is not on that level.
RYAN: The score was awkward and distracting, especially early on.
CAROLINE: Not to mention the lengths of movie without music and complete silence.
RYAN: Also, there’s a narrator here, courtesy one Emma Thompson but it’s so inconsistent that you forget she’s even doing it in this film. It’s the weirdest, most inconsistent thing.
CAROLINE: Yeah. It certainly wasn’t a bad movie but we both felt it was slow and while well acted and relatable in some ways, I was never thoroughly engaged.
RYAN: And I kept waiting for and rooting for moments of uber-drama. That’s when we perked up a bit.
CAROLINE: There were some but nothing, really comparable to the other great movies you mentioned earlier.
RYAN: This is really the kind of movie you don’t want to watch with your parents or someone in the room that would make you feel uncomfortable.
CAROLINE: Oh no. It’s NSFW – Not Safe For Work. I also can’t help but notice the resemblance between this movie and one I’d seen a coupe years ago called Disconnect – also about the way the internet has affected all our lives. This one is a better film but…
RYAN: It does balance between stories of the adults and of the children; but then by the end it feels like it’s more about the adults.
CAROLINE: It didn’t feel preachy but it is cliched – not as an insult – but we know the dangerous of the internet and mobile-addiction going in. That’s what makes it relatable. But at the same time, it wasn’t new.
RYAN: It does make me want to look up Pale Blue Dot because I love Carl Sagan.
CAROLINE: Yeah it’s some YouTube thing. Meanwhilst, it was nice seeing Adam Sandler in a regular role. He wasn’t annoying. Also Rosemarie DeWitt who we know is great.
RYAN: Ansel Elgort.
CAROLINE: One of our faves, Judy Greer and of course, Jenny Garner but it’s not a movie I can say everyone should run out and see.
RYAN: It’s a rental at best. But embarking upon a season of the really good movies coming out, this isn’t one you’d regret missing.
