The Way Way Back (2013)

Tags

Allison Janney, Comedy, Drama, Liam James, Sam Rockwell, Steve Carell, The Way Way Back, Toni Collette

top down, hair up

a) Yes, I still exist and occasionally watch movies.  Not sure why I’ve suddenly decided to write reviews again, but we’ll see if this lasts.

b) This movie was pretty funny.  Not a great movie, but funny.

Surprisingly, it is not Steve Carell’s character that is bringing the funny in this one.  He’s pretty much just an @$$hole from beginning to end.  And not a funny one.  Just an @$$hole.

No, the funny is brought by Sam Rockwell and Allison Janney.  It’s as if the writers (Nat Faxon and Jim Rash) poured all of their creativity into those two characters and left little else for the remaining cast.  When neither one of them is on screen, the movie drags a little.  Thankfully, the writers/directors know how great Sam Rockwell is and have him on screen quite a bit.  Love the Sam Rockwell.

As for the plot…well, it’s not exactly complicated or compelling.  You’ve got your standard awkward teen, Duncan (Liam James), being forced out of his comfort zone in new surroundings.  All the while dealing with his hatred of his mother’s boyfriend, played by Carell.  Of course there’s a cute girl who likes him…maybe…and an older slacker who takes him under his wing and teaches him how to win friends and impress people.

Standard stuff handled in a standard way.  Yet…funny.  I laughed a lot in the first 3rd of it, and just about every time Sam Rockwell was on the the screen.  I guess if you laugh enough, you can overlook other issues.

Did I mention I love the Sam Rockwell?

6.7/10

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012)

Tags

Comedy, Drama, Keira Knightley, Movie, Romance, Seeking a friend for the end of the world, Steve Carell

I’m sorry officer, was I being too quirky?

Some good ideas, but some frequent poor execution.

This probably won’t make much sense, but while watching this one, I think it seemed like I was enjoying it more than I actually did because I kept thinking about how it could be better.  It was only afterward that I realized how many missed opportunities there were and that I had sort of filled in the blanks with my own thoughts on how things should have happened.

Overall, what this movie was missing was more emotional depth.  If you’re going to make an R rated movie about the end of the world, don’t make it PG-13 with a few extra F-bombs.  Go all out!  Really show the sadness, anger, debauchery, violence, and even emotional clarity that could result from the situation humanity finds itself in.  Much of that is implied, but it’s all seen in glimpses.  It’s all very sanitized.  It’s a dark comedy that’s just not all that dark.

It is certainly funny at times, though.  Not outrageously funny, but I laughed on several occasions.  I also wanted to check the time on my phone on several occasions as well.  There are some dull moments that could have used more emotional punch.

It’s director Lorene Scafaria’s first film, and she definitely seemed to play it safe.  In fact, the whole movie does.  The character development, the soundtrack, the camera shots, you name it, it all seemed…routine.

Steve Carrell, as Dodge, is playing essentially an even more toned down version of the character he played in Dan In Real Life, which probably helped bring down the film’s energy even further.  While Keira Knightley, as Penny, is playing a pretty typical quirky character (she likes vinyl records and can sleep through almost anything!), at least she brought some energy to the role.

As I mentioned, it is funny at times, and there are some inspired moments, like a scene in a Friendsy’s restaurant with an overly affectionate staff, and then a brief stop at one of Penny’s ex-boyfriend’s place, but those are few and far between.

I wanted more from a movie about humanity’s end.  I think it’s an occasion that deserves a little more.

Lastly, I’ll close by saying…I think you’re gonna need a bigger plane…

5.9/10