I went to see this because I'm a fan of the cast. This film is a small and often depressing drama about a woman who grew up in a nomadic, impoverished family with an alcoholic and abusive father. Brie Larson plays the protagonist (as an adult,) and her parents are played by Woody Harrelson and Naomi Watts.
The performances in this film are generally quite strong. Larson gives an emotional performance as the lead actress, bringing a lot of grit and tenacity to the role. Harrelson successfully treads a fine line playing an erratic and unstable character. Watts--while underused to some extent--does a good job playing the wife, who is shown as a complex and multi-dimensional character well beyond the traditional and generic "wife" characterization often used in feature films. While the acting (and cinematography) are impressive, the film's narrative is very flawed. The film's tone often feels melodramatic and souped-up rather than truly emotionally powerful. This tone is, without a doubt, the film's Achilles heel. Such a problem with the tone is evident throughout the film, as many scenes in the film's first half seem primarily designed to generate a standard response from an audience than portray something--or depict any thoughtful critique--about the characters. The second half of the film is generally an improvement, until the story builds to a cop-out of an ending. Worth a watch due to the acting, but wait to rent it. 6.5/10
The performances in this film are generally quite strong. Larson gives an emotional performance as the lead actress, bringing a lot of grit and tenacity to the role. Harrelson successfully treads a fine line playing an erratic and unstable character. Watts--while underused to some extent--does a good job playing the wife, who is shown as a complex and multi-dimensional character well beyond the traditional and generic "wife" characterization often used in feature films. While the acting (and cinematography) are impressive, the film's narrative is very flawed. The film's tone often feels melodramatic and souped-up rather than truly emotionally powerful. This tone is, without a doubt, the film's Achilles heel. Such a problem with the tone is evident throughout the film, as many scenes in the film's first half seem primarily designed to generate a standard response from an audience than portray something--or depict any thoughtful critique--about the characters. The second half of the film is generally an improvement, until the story builds to a cop-out of an ending. Worth a watch due to the acting, but wait to rent it. 6.5/10