ramair350

I enjoyed the film. It kept my attention, and I certainly could not guess where the story would go, so that in itself is a win. The acting is superb.

The writing and story is definitely more on the art film spectrum than I expected. This is not a traditional narrative. Which is both good and bad. Sections of this film would be perfect for viewing on a loop at an art museum. Which is both good and bad. My main point is this: older and mature audiences that enjoy artsy films will like it. If you are looking for a traditional post-war American story, the story could have been much better and executed in a different manner (even editing) would have produced a much more enjoyable and cohesive film package for average viewers like me. I see why critics would love it. Give it a try though - it is worth a watch, but just set expectations accordingly.

This is a solid drama. It pulls you in, and is well-acted. It almost feels a bit short and abrupt, and I would have enjoyed more episodes to dig into the circumstances of what happens.

My gripe is this: the show is very proud of the 30 minute long one-shots. Film critics love that stuff. Audiences could care less if it does not really serve the story. In one amazing episode, I felt it really was beneficial. And in another episode, it was incredibly distracting and as I tell a part when a main actor struggled with a line, and some extras in the background were looking at the camera and for most productions that would have resulted in CUT! And then they would shoot the scene again. At some point, attaching a camera to a drone just to keep up that single shot is borderline ridiculous outside of a film school project. I get what they were going for, but I think critics awarded this thing bonus points for pulling off these long shots without really considering if the typical viewer gives a flip. Most don't.

But don't me wrong: this is very much worth watching and overall a nice but short drama to view. A solid 7 out of 10, which when I give it that rating it means it is a solid show. It isn't Breaking Bad, The Sopranos, and Six Feet Under, so despite the show being "rated" at that same level, it does not reach that rare pinnacle of television that will be talked about and watched for decades to come.

No spoilers here, but I watched the film last night with great anticipation. And I walked away feeling like I at least saw an unusual film with a unique story. At this point in life, it is hard for me to watch anything without feeling like I have seen something like it before. This film excels at being different from the rest for sure. The cast is incredible. All parts are well played and convincing.

So what is there not to like? Well, the first 30 minutes to me was captivating. But at some point, somehow the story feels like it goes off the rails (which yes I realize is the whole point of the movie to a degree). Tonally the movie suffers from trying to be funny, tragic, and uplifting, sometimes all at the same time. Some of the darkest movies can have funny moments, but there are straight up comedy bits (and yes the film is even categorized on my streaming service as a "comedy" and "drama").

While I 100% recommend the film to anyone who wants to take a glimpse into an unusual life, I have to shake my head at what was a bit of a wasted opportunity at true film greatness. I almost wish I had just stumbled into this film blindly, but I could not help but see the hype and awards it was racking up, which it turns out was a curse as it would have taken a perfect movie to be what I hoped. But I should be happy for getting to spend time with some really dynamic characters in what really is a good, not great, but good film.