Reviews

Starting with the attempt to create improvised chaotic evil, over shallow and bland characters, a lame attempt to show spaces well in a nice aesthetic-like way (failing completely, except when meals are presented, a good 7/10 for that), a few loose ends and arriving at the anticlimactic ending, the movie fails to entertain as much as it could.

The vibe of the film promises more but delivers poorly, accompanied by unconvincing elements and just poorly placed, awful music.

I understand the concept behind the story, behind what goes on in the film and why things happen in the ways they do, but there are no real connections between the characters and the main concept and idea of the story, so the viewer must just assume things, and there is no beauty in assuming the motive for such an important feature of the film. Understanding that the rich and priviledged are the burden of our society is one thing, but I cannot understand how such a story where this notion is just hinted at is suddenly a genius film. Seems to me that this might be an attempt to do things other stories with similar notions like American Psycho have done, where one can actualy understand the satire and not have to pretend that one must be a genius to get it. This movie fails to reach anything by hiding its point behind poorly planned chaos and pretend deep thoughts.

It's like if in a murder mystery the killer was revealed to be the rich guy who killed everyone only because he hated the rich? A good satire moment, sure, but no backstory, no real narrative. Only Anya Taylor Joy devouring a hamburger, while entering her punk phase, not caring about all those filthy rich people that died, because she is not one of them. Wow. Such a satirical moment. Not fun, not funny, just confusing and unnecessary.

The connections between the characters are so weak that it seems as if someone had cut a large part of the movie out, since we never get to know any of the characters better and the mystery vibe is just lost. And if the viewer was never supposed to know the characters well, why the effort to present them as much as they were?

Seems to me like a poor attempt to point out the issues of our society, with nothing else remotely good about the writing or the idea behind the movie. The storyline is wonky and has loose ends and just disappoints.

But Ralph impresses with his accurate and spot on performance, and it looks like he does it with ease, and there is no doubt that he is one of the best in the industry. Remarkable. The other actors present their poorly written characters well. Sometimes too well, but other times unconvincingly due to the nature of the characters.

A disappointment, a pity.

It took me quite a while to see this movie, yet I am now angry for not seeing it earlier.

In a rather confusing, elegant and realistic thriller, Hopkins manages to prove why he really is worthy of another Oscar, as his spot-on performance makes this story hit hard on many who have experienced it.

While watching, I asked myself about what the actual plot was and what the point of the movie was: to be honest, I still cannot say that there is a specific story behind the movie, it just so perfectly shows a picture of any family that could be dealing with such a condition of a person and extends the story so that the viewer can feel what real people usually do.

It hits hard. Shows a realistic and colourful world of everydayness, presents the characters rather stiffly but also shallow at moments.

Entertaining, yet not for people who don't like life stories with bad endings, I'd say. Full of emotions, symbols and life and death contrasts.

Worth rewatching and enjoying the masterful acting of Hopkins again.

The most important piece of this story is that it is real and happening in millions of different places, to millions of different people, which is why it is done so well. A splendid movie, with even better acting and interpretation of characters.

Majestic.