Nostalgia

Could this have been one of the year's most promising off-beat movies? There's much style to be admired, with a good deal of thoughtful dialogue delivered by a cast of impressive performers. So what went wrong? Right from the opening it has the power to draw you in - giving you good reasons to be interested in each introduced character. You actually can't help becoming emotionally involved in their varied situations - you want to feel for them, and hope for the best outcomes as you learn more about their stories. John Oritz might arguably own the movies most interesting character as insurance assessor Daniel Kalman but, there are many good characters and performances introduced as the story/stories continue to unfold. This is possibly where it begins to unravel - it strives for one too many sombre situations, becoming like one of those seventies French dramas - where for one reason or other everyone seems to die. Its heart is in the right place but it's so unrelenting the viewer starts to seek some relief or simply to go back to the beginning and learn more about the earlier characters - who are never heard of again.

There are some interesting observations examining the value we tend to place on 'things', be they photos or artefacts gathered, as we journey through life. The stories have an odd linking device that doesn't work as well as it should, creating an overall episodic feel. Direction, writing style, photography, impressive cast, and thoughtful music score almost save it but fold under the weight of unrelenting loss. Pity, the screen needs more movies with emotional feelings - if only this picture didn't strive to serve up so much in one sitting.

Didn't know a whole lot about this, and I assume it really wasn't in many people's radar this month. I haven't really seen much of Mark Pellington's work outside of The Mothman Prophecies (which I liked quite a bit). Main reason for wanting to check this film out was the fact that the film employs a really talented cast. I'm always a fan of Jon Hamm getting more roles in film as he is a great actor. This film was tedious, slow, and a failed attempt at an interesting idea.

This film links a few stories and characters together through a common thread of loss, love, and memories from objects. We start off by seeing an insurance agent and eventually his story links with another character who in turn links with a different one for segments of different stories. I like the idea quite a bit and I've seen this type of storytelling work in the past, but this film can't utilize this method with success. Its a dull affair.

The cast is great as expected, especially Catherine Keener in a nice standout role. The characters don't carry any weight and its easy to lose track of one's story as its just boring and bland. You sit there thinking that nothing even goes on. This is okay if there's some sort of style or intriguing dialogue that adds to the story, but none of that happens here. Near the end I was just hoping for it to end.

There may be few who will find this film to be a moving experience but for me its a film that tries to hard to be spiritual and emotional while never leaving first gear. I see what is being attempted but the film has no weight to its characters or their turmoils. Not in any rush to see anything else from Mark Pellington unfortunately.

6/10

A beautifully adapted story illustrating the joy and pain of nostalgia (in all its forms) and how it impacts on the lives of the characters we are introduced to in the movie. But it's much more than that. The movie is a work of art. The performances are believable. The screenplay is spot on and the soundtrack is sublime. What a pleasure.

My comments: 1) I expect this movie will appeal (generally) to an older viewer. 2) Although the movie does talk a lot about the 'things' that are left behind, we see the people who are left behind coming to terms with the inevitable march of time. 3) The movie highlights interpersonal relationships by using realistic dialog. 4) The actors all do a good job with their roles - very believable. 5) I can see how this movie will not appeal to everyone. 6) An excellent topic to talk about with your family. 7) Please support independent film makers.

One of the few films that have hit me so hard recently. It's as if the writers reached into my brain and heart. I had Such a visceral reaction. Excellent performances by a superior group of actors. I'd give a 20 if I could!