Regresso ao Amor

The script is clumsy (Really? Breaking the fourth wall?), the blocking is stumbling and cinematography bland (I felt bad for the poor editor who seemed at a loss to shove the clunky shots together). But in the end, this movie still worked.

It was a pleasure to spend two hours with these actors, especially the always witty and wonderful Sigourney Weaver. She gives the part weight without making it heavy, and she is well-supported by Robert Kline, Rebecca Henderson, Rob Delaney, and Morena Baccarin, all of whom turn in well-rendered performances. And in the end, all the pieces came together to make a satisfying story about people trying-some successfully, some not-to get through life's trials.

It's a drama set in a modern-day fictional town called Wendover, Massachusetts. It follows a somewhat functioning alcoholic 60ish realtor as she faces the reality of her declining business and family relationships.

Hildy Good (Sigourney Weaver) is a woman in denial about her drinking and its impact on her life after she's gone through one rehab. She still has a decent relationship with her ex, Scott (David Rasche), who left her for a man. Her daughters, Tess (Rebecca Henderson) and Emily (Molly Brown) have a more strained relationship with Hildy because of their childhood memories of her drinking.

Hildy also engages with a young married woman, Rebecca (Morena Baccarin), who is having an affair with the town's psychiatrist, Peter Newbold (Rob Delaney). Finally, as Hildy's world begins to crumble, she reconnects with Frank (Kevin Kline), her high school love, who is now the town's provider of garbage collection, substantial renovations, as well as fishing for lobsters.

This is Sigourney Weaver's movie. She is outstanding and has a good script with which to work. She is smart, clever, and humerous in dealing with her denial and frequently talks to the movie audience to explain herself. Kevin Kline is a good match. The rest of the characters are more forgettable as individuals but add texture to the context. Unfortunately, I thought the ending was too facile, detracting from the film's impact. I haven't read the book, so I don't know if the finishes match.

Unless you have any expectations, it won't ruin your day but it won't make it either so you can skip it or watch it, won't make a difference. Story's pretty realistic, doesn't go out of it's way to move you or address the effects of alcohol initially. Sigourney Weaver who plays the main character well has a laissez-faire attitude about it and that's pretty much how you perceive everything, and when she finally breaks down and realizes she has a problem that's when it becomes more piteous and touching. She portrays the character well as her life is told from her point of view so you sorta always understand how she feels which makes that more climactic. It really feels like you're watching someone's everyday life. However for the most part it just felt like a well made lifetime movie and it took time to get to where it was going, I was only fully invested and engaged towards the end.

There were a couple funny and witty bits that I enjoyed but spread far apart. I was expecting this to be a romance heading in but that side is loosely done, it was either that or just about life in a small town of which it sorta explores.

I never like it when movies try to shove their intended message down your throat repeatedly throughout, which is why I dislike most 'Christian' movies for instance, but I feel like this needed a little more of that because it's very relaxed, for the first two acts it almost feels like an accessory to what's happening in the movie. I'd describe the plot as things happen and it's just all over the place. In the end I didn't really enjoy nor dislike it, I left the theatre like nothing just happened the past two hours.

Weaver's character should be unlikable, but the humanity of her flaws, as well as her humour makes that not so. I can't say this is Weaver's best film, but she's highly watchable.

Themes include friendship, class, and alcoholism. There's really not a lot new here, but Weaver breaking the 4th wall is a nice touch and all the subjects are treated with a degree of finesse.

I'm sure many will watch The Good House for the third outing of Kline and Weaver together, despite it being their softest. It's not as bleak as The Ice House, or as quirky as Dave.

This is predictable adult-contemporary fare, but I was engaged until the end. Weaver mostly steals the show.

I'm glad I continued to watch this movie. When the main character played by Sigourney Weaver speaks directly to us viewers I tend to fall completely out of the action. Such films are not for me. Usually. The Good house is the exception.

For Sigourney Weaver is magnificent in this story about an alcoholic real estate agent who apparently has "full control". The plot is set in a small, idyllic town, and our protagonist knows most things about most people.

Yes, it's about alcoholism, but just as much about life in a small town - for better or for worse. The togetherness and the cozy environment are excellently portrayed. As well as all the secrets that people in a small town think they have. When it comes to the depiction of an alcoholic's life, this is shown in a different way here than in many other films. What I like is that it shows that an alcoholic is first and foremost a human being, with an alcohol problem. Not the other way around.

Many good supporting roles here, but Sigourney is the one that everything revolves around and is about in all the scenes. This is her film, and another proof of the versatile and talented actress she is.