Reviews

The magic seems to have left with Steve Carrell's exit.

This show had a lot of promise in its first season. It seemed to be introducing you to characters with depth and interesting personal stories to share. The writing felt smarter and more nuanced. You had the feeling you were dealing with smart writers who knew how to thread the "woke" needle with the reality one. And that's a refreshing thing to see in Hollyweird.

Season 2 wasn't as intriguing as the first season but it was still a fun experience. You felt like the writers were laying the groundwork for a long journey with these characters and this story.

But season 3 shortened the ride. The juice seems to be gone. The subject matter feels dated and it's depressing (NO ONE wants to relive the pandemic or the hysteria surrounding Jan 6). Beyond that, the writers seem to have ditched Jennifer Anniston's character's entire personal story (where is her daughter?) in favor of Reese's character lesbian affair and the producer lady's random relationship with an independent photographer we've never seen before. Not a great trade-off. And it doesn't have to be stated that whenever Hollyweird tries to cover political events nowadays, they fail miserably. They can't help but insult a wide swath of the audience. I had thought this show was smarter than that but season 3 proves otherwise.

I am therefore not sure if I desire to stick it out with this show or even with the remainder of this season 3. Whereas it seemed different and layered before, now it feels banal and dry. I find that I feel labored now when deciding if I want to watch a new episode; it's more like a chore (finish what you start) than real anticipation and excitement. Sad that only 3 seasons in, I'm thinking this might need to be the show's last. *sigh*

This show amazed me at first. It was one of the few new shows that didn't capitulate to the tyrannical woke left that has infected Hollyweird, the movement that demands that every series and movie features a gay character. It's not enough to have a diverse cast, you must actually form a storyline around a character's sexuality. 'Ted Lasso' miraculously went two whole seasons without doing this and I believe that was a big part of its mass appeal; it felt like a throwback from an era in which proselytizing and extreme liberal indoctrination didn't have to be injected into every facet of life.

But then came season 3.

I just don't know what happened. Were new writers added or something? The show went from being aggressively PG to R-rated, bombarding the audience with not just one gay character's sexually trysts, but even making a previously-heterosexual character gay, out of nowhere! Speaking of nowhere, the patter's plot line went nowhere as they decided in the end to make her straight again. Go figure.

A directionless, discombobulated mess is what season 3 was. It felt more like the writers decided to make it a throwaway season just to check off the woke boxes. Very little of the actual story moved forward.

That said, even with the disappointment of a large part of season 3, the show was still watchable and still maintained its charm. I hope that the writers return to form for next season. This show deserves better. It could be and should be an international treasure-a family-friendly series with feel-good themes, smart writing, and intriguing characters that will stand the test of time. This is a show people should be able to watch twenty years from now and enjoy. (There just needs to be a warning label to skip season 3).

I'm seven episodes in at this point. Tried to give the series time to find its footing so that I could give a fair review. My overall opinion: Too much darkness, not enough light.

I keep watching mostly because of the big names involved and because I know the writer is a quality writer given what he did with 'Yellowstone.' But I find I don't get excited about new episodes; it feels like a chore to be completed versus a story you're excited to explore more.

The Indian vs Catholic storyline is relentlessly depressing. The violence and suffering and gore and sadness is too much to bear. I've resorted to fast-forwarding through a lot of the beatings and violent encounters; they all seem to end the same way. It's gratuitous, not needed to further the plot line at all. After seeing someone beat almost to death five times, you kind-of get the point.

The Dutton farm storyline is okay; the big actors make it interesting enough for I suppose, but it's somewhat underwhelming as a main storyline. You know it's setting up something but it takes glacial pace to get there.

Then there's the third leg of the story: Hunter Spencer and the annoying trollop he collected and made a wife. I can't stress how much I despise the latter character. First, she looks too young to be paired with the actor; second, the endless little sarcastic quips they've made her entire dialogue is beyond grating.

The only reasons to still tune in are 1) waiting to see the "hero" Spencer Dutton save his family and 2) waiting to see the Catholic terrorists get their comeuppance. The problem is the show is soooo sloooow in getting to either one.

I'm not sure if this is a show I'll desire to return to next season (if there is one). I just don't know if there's enough of a payoff to endure the overly-slow, overly-violent storylines.

Such a nice change of pace to see a film with no real villain. A nice message even if it's a bit abstract for some. Nothing offensive or political. A quiet film with a calming pace that allows for the characters to have depth.

Speaking of characters, they're all likable. I think the kids especially make the film endearing. So different and refreshing to see kids, teenagers even, who are actually nice and respectful. Hollyweird really tends to overdue the "bratty teenager" trope, but this film thankfully avoids that. The older daughter has her moments of acting out a bit, but she, like her younger siblings, show love to her mother and grandmother. The son is also a special character. Kind and smart and positive. And the youngest daughter rounds out this cast of likable characters nicely. So there are no "I hate you" outbursts or doors slamming or cussing out or anything like that. How different is that?! Thank you writers!

The adult characters really bring the idea of southern charm to life too. They are layered but still portrayed as good people in the end. The sassy grandmother is blunt but you know she is coming from a place of love. The boss/ wannabe boyfriend/ fiancée definitely gets the short end of the stick in this movie but he shows maturity and understanding when things don't go his way. You root for him to find the love he deserves. The interaction between two main characters is slow-building but intriguing and has a nice surprise in the end that you might not have seen coming the first watch. On a second viewing, you see a few more clues though, which makes the movie all the more interesting. It's layered and not so obvious.

Good job writers and cast.

Hits-EXCELLENT singing. Great acting. Engaging enough to capture the viewers' interest throughout. Refreshingly PG in an age when most new offerings go out of their way to be offensive or push an agenda. Was definitely the kind of movie that could bring in diverse audiences with its general themes and historical angle.

Misses-Overly long. Some of the writing felt incomplete, the plot not fleshed through thoroughly. Examples: 1) The matriarch's first marriage wasn't ever shown and yet it produced one of the Clark singers. And there was a brother birthed from the first marriage and that was mentioned literally NOWHERE in a film that otherwise went out of its way to show how much the mother loved (and fulfilled her dreams through) her children. 2)Denise's leaving the group was not fully explained, seemed to come out of nowhere and was reduced to one blowup scene at a deal signing. Similarly, her sisters' hostility towards her even to the point of shunning her at their mom's funeral seemed out of place. There was nothing shown that would have led to that. 3)Twinkie's abandoning her mom even after the mom fell ill wasn't fully explained. Where did the hostility come from? It wasn't addressed. 4) And what happened to the man Twinkie was shown to go away with? Did they marry? Have a kid? Just a few holes that could have been filled in a two hour plus movie had the writing been a little tighter.

But those details are in the weeds. From a 20,000 foot view, this movie was memorable. It had interesting subject matter and good actors to deliver it. Ultimately a feel-good movie at a time when the world needs just that. It's clear Lifetime is rebranding itself to include more urban content, which is okay if it continues to produce high quality offerings like this.

P.S. A minor squabble, I wish it had showcased one of the Clarks' best songs-"Expect a Miracle." Would have been the icing on the cake. 😉

This movie is waaay overrated. It is not a murder-mystery; it's yet another vehicle for Hollyweird to subtly push its liberal agenda. "Illegals are good; Americans are bad." That's the lesson. The illegal immigrant, or rather the daughter of an illegal immigrant, is literally painted as a saint. I can't count the times she's called "a good person." On the other hand, the American characters are painted as greedy, shallow, dishonest, and pathetic. This, juxtaposed with the immigrant saint is literally incapable of dishonest as she supposedly gets physically ill if she tries to lie.

The "mystery" part of the plot is solved almost halfway through. I thought it was clear then that that part of the story was secondary. It was obvious to me, with the way the writers went out of their way to inject political discussions especially about immigration, into random conversations, and readily mocked the apparent non-liberal characters. I can't believe more viewers didn't catch this.

In modern Hollyweird, the proselytizing comes first now, the art is secondary or tertiary. It was clear to me that "Knives Out" was simply a vehicle for a political agenda to be pushed. I should have known it would be, with TDS-stricken Chris Evans involved. But what a shame, as I was honestly looking forward to a legitimate murder-mystery. In my opinion, "Knives Out" was not that. I left the theater feeling duped.

Let's start with what is most obvious from this film--this D'souza guy is a narcissistic sociopath. He spends most of the time comparing himself to Obama, seeking to elevate his status and validate his bona fides. This documentary is one big ego stroke.

Beyond that, he is an anti-intellectual. He forms a conclusion, then offers "evidence" to prove that conclusion, not the other way around which is what true intellectuals do. Instead he is a propaganda machine who has determined by his great insight and likeness to his "brother" Obama, that Obama's mission is to take down America based on his desire to fulfill the wishes of a father he met one time. Obama's bailout--nevermind Bush's--is rooted in anti-Americanism and a desire to bring down America. Obama's deficit--nevermind any of his predecessors--is the beginning of his takedown of the colonial oppressor. Obama's Harvard professors--nevermind that they work in Ivy League institutions--were part of his "founding fathers of communism and marxism and anti-Americanism."

His calculated use of soundbites and manipulative illustrations are an affront to decency. As much as he tries to convince the audience and himself that he is a part of "we"--America--he does a darn good job of contributing to the dumbing down of the country. He is a dangerous man. He is someone out to prove something who will do anything to prove it and--through calculated steps from childhood to get to America and get to the power class--has accumulated the contacts to help him do it. I do not think it is a stretch for me to call him a potential terrorist. I think there is more than enough proof, based on what he offers as his life story, that he has been calculating from an early age to get to America and infiltrate the ranks of power to push an agenda.

The alternative explanation is that he is a real-life Clayton Bixby. He is someone who has surrounded himself with right-wing racists so much that he has become one, as he clearly thinks himself--and Whites--superior or "more" American than the "others," the "foreigners." His mission is to prove that he is good enough for what he deems the cool crowd. His insecurity with his own identity is much more apparent than the apparent identity crisis he tries to paint for Barack Obama.

I attended this movie--read: wasted my money (can I get a refund as I have never regretted spending my money more than on this trash?)--with an open mind, thinking based on the relatively high rating and reviews that this movie was "objective." It turns out those reviews were blatant lies, and I am wondering now if those commenters were not solicited by the author to flood IMDb upon the introduction of the film to the masses. Hmmmm In truth, this is a well-produced piece of trash. That's the kindest thing I can say about it.