American Girl

My advice is to go into this movie with no expectation... in other words, stop reading the reviews! Lol! I think the lack of expectations makes this movie the masterpiece that it is. -- Luckiest Girl Alive, what a great movie!!! The third person dialogue really nudges this movie beyond great in my opinion. Couldn't have chosen a better actress for this role. Mila is amazing as always! The mystery of "what happened" is executed so well. Revealing small pieces of the puzzle without revealing the full plot was executed wonderfully. I truly wasn't sure what direction the movie was going to go in. The direction it did end up going was unexpected and dark, and it was done so well. Sadly it's very relatable being a young woman. The trauma she lives with and the person she turns herself into is exactly what survivors go through every day. And the "villain" in this movie, is so typical... I highly recommend this movie, and if you're able to watch it with a boyfriend or a brother, even better!

The 1st 30 minutes of this movie is almost unbearable. I'm not a fan of voice overs at the best of times but this was overkill beyond belief. Just when I was thinking I can't stand having every scene described to me in detail like I'm a complete imbecile, the voice over narrative backed off a bit and allowed the story to tell itself. Apparently the Novelist adapted her own book. Big mistake. She's clearly just lifted chunks from her Novel and used as voice over to set the scene rather than use dialogue. As I say, once the story got going and the writer didn't feel so compelled to have a voice over explain everything, the story became quite compelling. It's a pity someone didn't step in and re write at least the 1st half of the film. Could have been so much better. If you can get past the 1st 30 mins, it's worth a watch.

Film is an interesting blend.

A "boss girl" type film, the protagonist even has the typical sassy inner monologue.

However the movie has an incredibly nuanced portrayal of a woman who has suffered serious trauma.

Many films portray victims as weathered survivors.

This film shows the victim as extremely put-together and successful.

It's a take I haven't seen before, and it's definitely one that is good to see.

The movie uses two incredibly sensitive topics as plot devices, if the movie was any lesser, it would have trivilalized those topics.

But the unrelenting nature of the portrayals of those topics only adds to the movie to show what the protagonist has overcome.

I have to say, I had my fair share of the doubt during the first 30 minutes or so, because it started off as a typical rom com with a quirky protagonist.

But I'm glad I gave it a chance, because once it picks up, it's done masterfully. I was afraid at some point it would slide to "who done it" kind of a thriller, but fortunately that never happened.

That is not to say there isn't mystery. It's just properly balanced, so it never feels over the top. Characters are believable and much more nuanced than you typically get in this type of dramas.

We all heard a stories like this, but they are rarely explored respectfully and without going over the top. However, this movie manages to do it.

I'm glad the writers didn't go for twists and turns, but stayed true to the message they wanted to deliver. And it is a message we all need to hear.

Movies depicting the aftermath of a sexual assault are incredibly difficult to watch and often too triggering for many to sit through, but deliver some of the most profound and impactful filmmaking we have seen on screen of late, be it the Oscar-nominated "Promising Young Woman (2020)" or the moving Netflix series "Unbelievable (2019)". Although "Luckiest Girl Alive" doesn't rise to such astronomic levels in terms of pure craft, the Mila Kunis starrer is a chilling account of how society's first reaction to such assault is always victim-shaming and how toxic masculinity continues to be celebrated.

Based on a superhit 2015 novel of the same name written by Jessica Knoll, the movie traces the life and career of aspiring columnist "Ani Fanelli" (Mila Kunis) as she balances preparing for her upcoming wedding, a job that is at a crossroads while struggling with the PTSD of a grievous sexual assault from her past. As the mental anguish of all of it continues to take a call, the enterprising but vulnerable Ani is forced to face her demons and how she navigates the aftermath forms the rest of this disturbing but immersive mystery drama.

The performer in Mila Kunis has long been missing in action, with her last memorable outing being the fierce "Lily" in the Oscar-winning "Black Swan (2010)", with the actress seemingly having fallen into a rabbit hole of pointless romcoms. But the Golden Globe nominee sinks her teeth into this brilliantly written role and delivers a moving, dichotomous portrayal that balances ambition and industriousness with the emotional baggage and the scars of her scandalous past.

"Luckiest Girl Alive" is an excellent companion piece to other female-led literary works that translated into excellent mystery thrillers on screen, like "Gone Girl", "The Girl on the Train (2016)" as well as the "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" series. Be forewarned of difficult-to-stomach scenes of sexual assault and violence but I promise you, the final act will leave you satisfied with the culmination of events. Recommended!