A Pé Ele Não Vai Longe

I found it to be a strangely dark comedy. Or rather it was funny despite the subject manner.

So technically a true story about a man named John Callahan who was an alcoholic and became paralyzed in a car accident because of his addiction to the bottle, but ends up living his best life due to his involvement with alcoholics anonymous.

So maybe not so dark now that I think about it as the story was uplifting and inspiring.

Joaquin Phoenix was a pleasure to see on the screen. Very lively and believable as a man chasing some demons, but keeping his sense of humor and positive attitude.

And we needed that liveliness as some of the 12 steps in the movie were not that flush out as well as others.

Gus Van Sant's ability to do such a serious content and give it to us in a humorous way makes for an Impressive film.

Wow, what a compelling and dramatic performance by Jonah Hill ....and of course Joaquin Phoenix. I come to expect great and unique performances in everything that Joaquin does and am never disappointed, but what really stood out to me in this film was the performance of Jonah Hill. From what the announcer at Sundance 2018 described as a "chameleon like character", Jonah really drives it home with his portrayal as Donnie, the AA friend and sponsor to Joaquin's true life character John Callahan.

Much like the comics that John Callahan has made over the years, this movie is filled with a lot of humor, despite the struggles he faced throughout his life, including his addiction to alcohol. Donnie is there as a source of inspiration and guidance to John in helping him overcome these obstacles while also providing some comic relief. Jonah's performance really gives depth and insight to Joaquin's character as he struggles to pick up the pieces of his shattered life and continues on his journey to make some of the most outlandish and though provoking comics of his time.

Overall, I highly recommend watching this, as I feel we can all relate the context on some level. It will be quite the tear jerker towards the end and also allow you to empathize with both Donnie and John as they help each other overcome life's many hardships.

Joaquin Phoenix driving this heart breaking story gives the audience such a true sense of the unbearable. The will to overcome the tragedy that had changed his life and the dissection of the true problem he faces is remarkable. All of the people that play into his recovery give him the faith and the strength he needs in order to better himself. Jonah Hill and the entire group of AA members are all in the same boat. His selfish desire to lead that group of misfits turns him into a selfless man by giving them exactly what they need. Having such a positive impact on these people is very heartwarming to watch. Rooney Mara fits her character like a glove. She was the exact piece of the puzzle that John Callahan needed. Such a good hearted beautiful woman. Makes you very glad to see these people exist. What a story. Very happy to see it on screen.

The most impressive thing about this film is the acting, most notably Jonah Hill in a masterful supporting performance.

Like an AA meeting: disjointed, funny, moving, boring, inspiring and, ultimately, rewarding.

The actors are mesmerising. Joaquin Phoenix recovers nicely here from his misstep with Mary Magdalene but it's Jonah Hill as the sage gay sponsor who steals the film with a subtle portrayal imbued with nonchalant spirituality. Rock stars Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth) and Beth Ditto (Gossip) make appearances and Ditto turns in a solid gold performance that left me hoping she'll continue down the acting path.

Despite being overlong and bogged down with unnecessarily complicated timeline, the overall film moved me and made me glad I got past the clunky title and misleading rom-com poster.