***
DVD Release
On a rare trip into the nearest town, Henry and his reclusive, depressive mother, Adele, are approached by a mysterious man, seeking sanctuary in their home whilst he evades being rearrested after escaping from hospital.
Told through the eyes of cusp-of-puberty Henry (Gattlin Griffith), this is a rites of passage story masquerading as a love story between emotionally distraught Adele (Kate Winslet) and escaped convict, Frank (Josh Brolin). Focussing on the central three, the film is a sort of kitchen sink drama, studying how the lives of Henry and Adele change for the better when Frank enters their lives. It's obviously quite clichéd: Frank is the all-male father and lover figure, a handy man, who can also cook amazingly, and play baseball like a professional. He's a role model for Henry, who is beginning to learn about girls, whilst also being a lover to Adele, in terms of emotional support and friendship rather than physically. The depiction of Adele's depression is sensitive and touchingly done, whilst Henry's watchful eyes perfectly surmise the strange and emotional landscape of being on the edge of being a teenager.
If you were to ask me what was wrong with the film, I doubt I could tell you. In fact, I don't think there is anything 'wrong' with it - everything about it is just 'fine'. The acting is fine, the story is fine, and the look and direction of the piece is fine; it's even a little bit tense at times, and I suspect that if I had watched this in a more emotional state, I probably would have shed a couple of tears. For me, it felt too emotionally manipulative. Like a John Lewis Christmas advert, Jason Reitman is determined to make the viewer feel as weepy as physically possible, with lots of imagery of the central three characters standing around doing 'family things', and lots of talk about making amends and the like. Reitman wants you to like the central three so much, that it becomes pretty saccharine and, what could have been subtle touches, caresses and moments of unity, become loud, booming moments, as if the director were pointing it out on screen: 'Look! They're touching! They're falling in love!' Also, the making of the peach pie is just hysterically funny.
Passingly enjoyable but wholly manipulative and clichéd, this is a small and sweet story about second chances. Far from perfect, the cast are as watchable as you would expect from A-listers and, with a relatively short runtime, it doesn't outstay its welcome, or make you groan for too long at the soppy conclusion. It's an easy, unoriginal watch, dotted with some nice touches. However, it is largely unremarkable.
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