One More Time

In an era of recycled comic book sequel films and films praised more for their technical aspects than their substance, 'When I Live My Life Over Again' is very refreshing. First of all, Amber Heard is great in this breakout role for her, and I have no significant qualms with her performance, or really, anything in the film. Christopher Walken, however, steals the show, delivering his best performance in years, and is probably my personal favorite of his. He perfectly personifies the aging, listless, dad, and his low key style blends perfectly with Amber Heard's more loud and reckless style. Ultimately, this film, without giving away too much, is everything an independent film should be, and seeing it at the TriBeCa Film Festival was quite the treat.

I watched this movie to see how the dynamic between Christopher Walken and Amber Heard would play out. In short it didn't work. Much like most of the movie

Amber Heard, is Chris Walken's Indie-black-sheep daughter who returns to the comfort of the home when life and money gets too hard. When she gets there, her family feud with her more-than-perfect sister and it's-all-about-me-famous-singer-dad is rekindled

The embers of the family's dysfunction's continue to smolder throughout the movie - much like Heard's continuous smoking of hand-rolled joints.

The move is way too slow, and I was left not caring much for any of the characters.

Highlights: Christopher Walken crooning his way through a Sinatra-esque song, and Kelli Garner's (Heard's sister) ice-queen-and-ice-pick-sharp 'offer' to Walken's 5th wife near the end of the movie.

Lowlights: Everything in between.

It was not that it was really bad, as much as it was bland and stale.

I've seen Christopher Walken give a more lively performance in much worse movies. This was Definitely not his finest performance.

Amber Heard was not interesting enough to hold down this movie at all, and the chemistry between her and Walken was pretty weak.

It was suppose to be a coming-of-age story, but there is no heart behind it, and it really needs that heart.

And it felt like the actors were just dictating the script, not acting.

the music was pretty lame too. The song that went through the film, that was suppose to capture the moment, failed to do so.

Could not recommence seeing this flick as it did nothing for me.

...or, how my thirty-one year-old teenage daughter cinched up her borscht belt, moved to California, joined Hadassah, and married an entertainment lawyer in Sherman Oaks, or a dentist from Oxnard.

Mr. Walken once again demonstrates that he never met a camera he couldn't beguile, and if he can be a Lippman, there is no reason why Mel Gibson shouldn't have his scalp circumcised. (There are a number of good moils who would be happy to do the honors.)

I've always loved Nantucket in February, when the wind off the Atlantic is as cold and hard as the Puritan god, so the shots of clam shacks closed for the winter warmed me right up; straight out of the indie Playbill, but nicely done, nonetheless.

The very brief, scattered glimpses of Corinne's silent reactions to the exclusive bubble shared by Paul and Jude bespeak a lifetime of difficult experience. You don't need to wade through three hours of slush like The Aviator (2004) to know Kelli Garner is talented, and One More Time (2015) proves she has become a perceptive adult. Someone should really give her a prominent lead in something commensurate with her ability and maturity.

Oliver Platt is always a pleasure.

A couple of continuity issues that don't stand up to scrutiny, but nothing inexcusable.

A good job. Thank you.

XYZ

Although there are story elements to "One More Time" that I liked and it's a real shame that the film hampers itself by making it so difficult for the audience to care about the folks in the picture. To me, it's almost impossible to make a really good film given this serious handicap.

When the film begins, Jude (Amber Heard) is awakening from a one- night stand. She's overslept and is late for work...and folks are waiting and waiting for her to arrive. Apparently, this isn't unusual for Jude. What is unusual is her soon leaving New York City to go stay with her father, famous old-time crooner Paul Lombard (Christopher Walken). Apparently, their relationship is stormy but she has no choice as she's about to be thrown out of her apartment for not paying her rent. But things aren't all rosy back with dad as their relationship, and every relationship in this odd family, is severely strained. Paul is a serial philanderer who only thinks of himself, Jude's sister is a demanding and rather high-strung young woman and the step-mother is nicknamed 'Satan' by her step-kids. Through the course of the film, most of these folks remain true to their life patterns...destroying themselves and those around them. And, by the end of the film, there's a vague suggestion that perhaps Jude is tired of all this. If this summary sounds a bit bleak and depressing, then you pretty much get the picture, though it at least has some nice singing throughout the film.

The movie has some nice acting. While I found it hard to believe Walken could be a crooner, it was an interesting character and a nice stretch for him. Heard also was able to show that she could not only act but sing rather nicely. But nice acting and an interesting location shoot in the Hamptons aren't enough and the film is one I wouldn't rush out to see but might perhaps might catch when it appears on Netflix one day when you are looking for an undemanding film. Not bad....but also not particularly enjoyable either.