stanleycoleman

This documentary is very on-brand for the "J. Lo" persona. It feels formulaic and offers little substance in a polished, pretty package. The overview of her journey is surface-level, as she glosses over and lumps major periods of her life and career into soundbites - e.g. "I went through a tough period, but I kept going, and then I went through an up period. Repeat."

I've seen interviews where she has offered deeper and more poignant insights than what is given here; which shows she is capable of introspection and self-analysis, but much like the superficial fluffy rom-com roles she opts for, Jennifer seems to prefer easy-to-digest and done-up over being truly raw, vulnerable, and messy.

This film lacks subtlety and nuance. Like the very literal title of "Drive My Car", everything is spelled out through dialogue. Nothing is left to the imagination as the main characters lay out all their thoughts/emotions and backstories in conversations with each other; as if they were doing an emotional cleanse with their shrink or a heightened round of speed dating.

There's a certain point towards the end where all restraint is thrown out and the plot becomes a corny melodrama laid on too thick.

Visually, the film is absolutely gorgeous. The framing, the colors, the lighting, everything is a delight to look at, including some beautiful cast members.

Worth a watch, but definitely did not need to be three hours long.