Finestkind

I have been waiting for this movie for over a year. It was stuck in post-production for some time and was finally released a few days ago.

The truth is, I had high expectations for the story, especially from a writer/director of Helgeland's level.

I don't know what he originally had in mind, but he has put two films in one here. On the one hand, it's a family drama; on the other, it's a drug deal gone wrong that doesn't make a good transition and, on top of that, an almost unnecessary love story.

It has a somewhat OK third act, which has enough tension but raises many questions.

On the good side now. The cinematography is excellent, and the transitions between city and sea scenes work nicely. The cast is well chosen, and for the most part, the actors know where they need to be. And, of course, the two strongest cards of the film are Tommy Lee Jones and Ben Foster in the role of father and son.

Although it's a nearly three-decade-old project, it could have been executed way better, especially when the person working on it has such an impressive track record under his belt.

I give it a 6/10, mainly due to acting.

I don't understand why this film seems to inspire such a strong love/hate reaction in so many people. Perhaps people expected some high-stakes crime film. I will agree that the plot blurbs on this movie are a bit misleading, as crime is only a part of this film. If you don't expect to be blown away then I think it makes the experience more enjoyable. It is a good, though perhaps dramatic portrayal of the North Atlantic fishing industry, and actually a refreshing watch in the face of so many bland Hollywood films that attempt to tackle similar issues. The acting was good, not perfect, but still very decent. My biggest complaint would be the writing. It felt like they tried to cram every genre trope into one two-hour package. It also has a predictable feel-good ending. Had some of the events been shaved off to allow for more realistic character growth then it would have been a much more moving story. In the end it's an admirable attempt at tackling serious issues that's held down by its own ambition.

This is a very good picture, one that has quickly become one of my favorite this year. It is not an action movie, far from it, and not a crime story either. It is all about human emotions, and how we deal with them. Don't make me wrong: it is quite slow in development (of the story), but grows and grows, and gradually grows on you. By the time it ends, you feel emotionally lifted. All the attributes of a good movie are there: the production value is first class, the acting is impeccable as so is the direction, with the editing and the score not far behind. If you liked 'Fathers and Daughters' (2015), this project is definitely for you.

So, I just watched Finestkind and oh boy, do I have thoughts. Ive never seen a movie try to do so much with so little that wasn't also a CG fest. There are potentially two good movies in here, but tye mashing up of the family melo drama and the crime hiest thriller comes off as comical, insincere, and muddled. I was following the making of this for some time since I heard Jenna Ortega and Tommy Lee Jones were attached, little that I know this was 25 years in the making, cost the film crew thousands in lost equipment and injuries, and had several names attached to it. I do like the cinematography, the Whale footage was nice, but like, this isnt a documentary, it was supposed to be an engaging film about what happnes in the in-between when were born and when we die. This was directed by the guy who wrote Man on Fire (Which probably explains why Jenna was attached) and directed Mystic River! This had all the makings of a hit... what happend!? Ugh. Ill still buy the DVD for my collection, but I'm not watching this again.

Ps. The romantic subplot in this would give a Disney princess whiplash with how fast it happened.

This movie is a boyz movie. It's about brotherhood, friendship, role models. The first half of the movie is about the process of belonging. Any guy who ever wanted, craved, hoped to belong to a gang of guys-who they deem tougher, wiser, stronger-will identify. Don't wait for explosions, don't wait for cheap thrills. Enjoy the process. Get dirty with the fishermen. That's what the movie captures very well. The second half is about nerves. That's when it becomes a thriller in more known territory. It's not a bad thriller, and you actually care for all characters. There are good actors, excellent cinematography and camera work. I liked the movie. Reviews and critics aren't doing justice to it.