A single mom Adele (Winslet) with son Henry are forced to harbor a fugitive Frank (Brolin) at their
own home. An unexpected relationship develops among the three.
A beautiful story with a great cast including the super talented Gattlin Griffith as Henry. A very sensual, delicate, and rather natural direction on the hands of Jason Reitman (Up in the Air, Juno). Jason scripted this movie based on the novel by Joyce Maynard. Jason did a terrific job in interpreting Adele's yearning for male attention and care, in brief a man around the house in every aspect, especially in the scene where Frank wraps his arm around her waist and when we see her face turning towards him, I and I am sure a lot of the audience expected a kiss but what do you know Winslet beautifully and vulnerably lays her face on his shoulder .. absolutely mesmerizing!
Another scene stands out for me how Reitman plays down and tones down the sexual relationship between Frank and Adele by suggestive scenes for example, when Henry does not find Frank on the couch where he was usually sleeps but hears him in his mom's bedroom and another scene where he opens the bathroom door to find her brushing her teeth with her under gown on with Frank there with her, but then in the movie's most vulnerable scene, we just get a single passionate kiss between Frank and Adele.
I loved the use of sunlight throughout the movie right about when Frank arrives at Adel and Henry's house and starts affecting and impacting their lives, which to me is rather symbolic for light of hope that is shed on them, a second chance for a normal and loving family life, for them and for Frank as well, clearly evident in the final scenes when upon telling him about her problematic pregnancy life , she tells him:" I can't give you a family.", he replies: " you have". I loved the clash of two unfortunate characters who lost love and regained it under the most unfortunate circumstances and their love conquered and endured all times and survived.
You got to give praise to how Reitman in script and direction, sprinkled more than four dramatic tension points that could result in the capture of Frank, Henry's rebel girlfriend, Henry's letter to his Dad and mentioning at dinner that there is a man around his house, Bary the mentally handicapped kid who visits them and meets Frank, but the wow factor, is how all these did not play any part in Frank's final capture.
Turning my attention to the script and as much as I loved it, a few things bothered me and caught
my attention as weak and incredible as far as plot and characterization. Starting with Bary's visit and Frank's okay with that, how could a character like Frank who was cold and cautious from the beginning in order to protect himself, let a mentally retarded kid see him? What did he think it was okay? What was he going to say? He turned out rather shouting his name, how contradictory is that? Add to that, Reitman making Bary conveniently watch the news broadcast where for maybe the 20th time they show Frank's young prison pic and for the first time in the movie, they put an adult pic of him next to it, come on how convenient and corny is that? Also keeping with Frank's character motif , why would someone like him on the day he was all alone in the house and knowing from before that Adele's neighbors and friends barge in and pop in unexpectedly not to mention rudely like Bary's mom, and while standing conveniently in direct vision of anyone coming through the main door, leave it unlocked??? Hehe..
Of all the days they could have gathered their stuff and escape to Canada, they picked Henry's first day of school to do it, and where everybody in the movie made a point of it, that's just silly . Obviously it was added to create dramatic tension and suspense but to a weak effect and result.
I will end my comments with the corny ending of the movie, we understand that Frank takes a lot of the
credit for the fine upbringing and how a fine man Henry turned out to be, but it was rather commercial
and clichéd for Reitman to actually show us Henry doing exactly the same things Frank taught him, changing a tire while with his girlfriend, cooking and baking a pie for his mom, playing baseball etc and the corniest of them all, Henry becoming a pie chef and opening a famous restaurant, that ending was just too hollywoody and I imagine every scene that comes after Frank's second arrest is rather made for commercial box office reasons, come on would you rather have this ending or just maybe see Henry cooking for his mom, and being with his girlfriend? I know your pick.
own home. An unexpected relationship develops among the three.
A beautiful story with a great cast including the super talented Gattlin Griffith as Henry. A very sensual, delicate, and rather natural direction on the hands of Jason Reitman (Up in the Air, Juno). Jason scripted this movie based on the novel by Joyce Maynard. Jason did a terrific job in interpreting Adele's yearning for male attention and care, in brief a man around the house in every aspect, especially in the scene where Frank wraps his arm around her waist and when we see her face turning towards him, I and I am sure a lot of the audience expected a kiss but what do you know Winslet beautifully and vulnerably lays her face on his shoulder .. absolutely mesmerizing!
Another scene stands out for me how Reitman plays down and tones down the sexual relationship between Frank and Adele by suggestive scenes for example, when Henry does not find Frank on the couch where he was usually sleeps but hears him in his mom's bedroom and another scene where he opens the bathroom door to find her brushing her teeth with her under gown on with Frank there with her, but then in the movie's most vulnerable scene, we just get a single passionate kiss between Frank and Adele.
I loved the use of sunlight throughout the movie right about when Frank arrives at Adel and Henry's house and starts affecting and impacting their lives, which to me is rather symbolic for light of hope that is shed on them, a second chance for a normal and loving family life, for them and for Frank as well, clearly evident in the final scenes when upon telling him about her problematic pregnancy life , she tells him:" I can't give you a family.", he replies: " you have". I loved the clash of two unfortunate characters who lost love and regained it under the most unfortunate circumstances and their love conquered and endured all times and survived.
You got to give praise to how Reitman in script and direction, sprinkled more than four dramatic tension points that could result in the capture of Frank, Henry's rebel girlfriend, Henry's letter to his Dad and mentioning at dinner that there is a man around his house, Bary the mentally handicapped kid who visits them and meets Frank, but the wow factor, is how all these did not play any part in Frank's final capture.
Turning my attention to the script and as much as I loved it, a few things bothered me and caught
my attention as weak and incredible as far as plot and characterization. Starting with Bary's visit and Frank's okay with that, how could a character like Frank who was cold and cautious from the beginning in order to protect himself, let a mentally retarded kid see him? What did he think it was okay? What was he going to say? He turned out rather shouting his name, how contradictory is that? Add to that, Reitman making Bary conveniently watch the news broadcast where for maybe the 20th time they show Frank's young prison pic and for the first time in the movie, they put an adult pic of him next to it, come on how convenient and corny is that? Also keeping with Frank's character motif , why would someone like him on the day he was all alone in the house and knowing from before that Adele's neighbors and friends barge in and pop in unexpectedly not to mention rudely like Bary's mom, and while standing conveniently in direct vision of anyone coming through the main door, leave it unlocked??? Hehe..
Of all the days they could have gathered their stuff and escape to Canada, they picked Henry's first day of school to do it, and where everybody in the movie made a point of it, that's just silly . Obviously it was added to create dramatic tension and suspense but to a weak effect and result.
I will end my comments with the corny ending of the movie, we understand that Frank takes a lot of the
credit for the fine upbringing and how a fine man Henry turned out to be, but it was rather commercial
and clichéd for Reitman to actually show us Henry doing exactly the same things Frank taught him, changing a tire while with his girlfriend, cooking and baking a pie for his mom, playing baseball etc and the corniest of them all, Henry becoming a pie chef and opening a famous restaurant, that ending was just too hollywoody and I imagine every scene that comes after Frank's second arrest is rather made for commercial box office reasons, come on would you rather have this ending or just maybe see Henry cooking for his mom, and being with his girlfriend? I know your pick.