The Greatest Hits

Everybody has songs which bring them back to specific times in their lives. For Harriet Gibbons (Lucy Boynton), it happens literally as she travels back in time. She is trying to save her boyfriend Max Enders (David Corenswet) from a deadly crash. She meets David Park (Justin H. Min) at her self-help group.

This has an intriguing elevator pitch from filmmaker Ned Benson. He has a few good ideas in this movie, but the premise needs more work. There are basic problems stemming from the concept. First, she needs to keep going back to the death moment. It only makes sense. It also doesn't help that Max is forced by the story to dismiss her at every turn. It makes him look bad as a boyfriend. The whole movie gets dragged down by many minor issues.

The other night my wife and I watched The Greatest Hits now streaming on Hulu. The movie stars Lucy Boynton and Justin H. Min and is written and directed by Ned Benson. The Greatest Hits follows Harriet (Boynton) as she tries to lead a normal life after the tragic death of her boyfriend. Getting over him proves to be more difficult than normal because every time Harriet hears a song that reminds her of him, she is sucked back in time until the song ends. As you can imagine, this affliction not only makes it difficult for her to get over him, but it also complicates her everyday life, including dating her new love interest David (Min).

This movie had all the makings of a cute rom com that really hits you in the feels. Unfortunately, it fell short of this goal. My overall rating for this movie is a 6.5/10 meaning that, although I did not think that this was a particularly bad movie, I also won't go as far as saying that it was good. This was a perfectly ok and forgettable movie that I will most likely never think about again after I finish writing this blog. To me, the movie did not do as good of a job of relaying the message that it wanted to convey. It seemed that it was showing us the pain of moving on and how hard it is to do that, but the execution was just lacking. The acting felt hallow and I found myself not being able to get immersed into the story. All in all, if you have something better to watch on your movie night, maybe skip The Greatest Hits.

Thanks for reading and please comment below your thoughts or if you have any suggestions on reviews you would like to see.

Greetings again from the darkness. If you are one for whom hearing a particular song, no matter how many times over however many years, brings back vivid memories of a person close to you or a memorable event, then you will likely relate to Harriet, the lead character in this film from writer-director Ned Benson (THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ELEANOR RIGBY, 2014). Additionally, if you have tragically lost someone special to you and find yourself cloaked in unshakeable grief, then you will also likely find common ground with Harriet.

Harriet (Lucy Boynton, so good in SING STREET, 2016) wears noise-cancelling headphones whenever she is in public. She is so concerned with controlling the songs she hears, that she now works in a library for the serenity that silence brings. These steps are for a good reason ... they protect her from instantaneously being transported back in time to a specific moment with her beloved boyfriend Max (David Corenswet, "Hollywood" mini-series, and he's the new Superman). For Harriet, these aren't merely flashbacks or memories - she is physically transported back in time when she hears a song. Rather than HOT TUB TIME MACHINE, she's living "Hi-Fidelity Time Machine". Her trip only lasts as long as the song is playing, yet she has no control. Once back in real time, she is viewed as having had a seizure. It's frightening stuff for her. However, instead of being concerned about her health, she is intent on finding the song that takes her back to the moment she can change the past and prevent the accident that cost Max his life.

Harriet's BFF Morris (Austin Crute, BOOKSMART, 2019), a local DJ, has been very supportive of her grief, but it's been two years since Max died, and Morris wants his friend to move on with life. Hope springs when Harriet meets David (a terrific Justin Min, "Beef") at a grief counseling group event. The two are understandable tentative around each other, yet it's obvious David is a good dude with the necessary patience to allow her to work through her grief. Harriet's case of déjà vu with David comes full circle, and adds a nice touch to the delicate situation they find themselves locked in.

Wanting to change the past is something we have all thought of at one time or another, yet the physical transformations that Harriet experiences feel like something beyond science fiction, and bordering on psychological torture. Filmmaker Benson has delivered a film that is simultaneously relatable, while also landing pretty far outside the box. There is a throwback feeling here, despite the characters feeling very much of this day. As you might expect, the soundtrack is quite varied with some deep cuts ... with Roxy Music being a key. Although there may not be any big surprises in how the story unfolds, the characters are so relatable, and it's so well acted, that we find ourselves pulling for each of them to have a happy ending.

Opens in theaters beginning April 5, 2024.

I thought the movie would have had a bit more adventure, as time travel was the main plot device. Over time the script became dull and a lot of the music was a distractor as opposed to tying in with the story. The writers needed to smooth out the rough edges on the script and simplify the story a bit. For example, the therapist, Harriet's best friend, and David's sister were useless characters who had nothing to contribute. I did appreciate the chemistry between David and Harriet, and that both characters suffered an immeasurable amount of grief.

If you're a record collector or someone who is a sucker for romantic movies that tug at your heart strings, you might like this. From my perspective, the fun moments were infrequent and forced. Think of the movie as a Powerpoint presentation that moves so quickly, that you don't have time to take in the details.

This film was so well pieced together from start to finish. From the tiny details like the timeless timepiece on her wrist to the editing with the memory flashes. The acting was so much more realistic than typical movies these days. The dialogue felt natural and not forced or scripted. And the storytelling itself was just excellent! I was so impressed with this film. I was in a similar scenario as her and I have certainly been transported by music when it comes to certain songs tied to certain memories. For me, this film was like a daydream fantasy of mine that I'd give anything to be able to experience in real life. Absolutely fantastic from start to finish. 10/10.