Men, Women & Children

From my perspective, the point of the entire film was to show us how complex human behaviour and communication really is, especially after the internet. It shows briefly how our actions have consequences and it's a film for both parents and teenagers to watch and relate to, and maybe comprehend that we all struggle sometimes, making it important to ask for help. It screams at the audience that communication is key, therefore getting its message across, but it could have explored some plotlines a little bit more, making it a bit clearer.

Jason Reitman's Men, Women and Children takes aim at communication in the digital age, offering a sobering and uncomfortably accurate portrait of the way we connect - or rather, fail to connect - with each other when there's a wealth of technology at our fingertips. Take Don (Adam Sandler) for example: a quiet schlub whose sexless marriage to Helen (Rosemarie DeWitt) finds him sneaking into his son's room to feed his internet porn addiction, while his wife struggles with the temptation of using a cheating website to start an extramarital affair. This is the kind of issue that an open dialogue and honest communication could likely overcome - but that would require both of them to put down their iPads or look away from the television.

There's also Hannah (Olivia Crocicchia), a fame-obsessed cheerleader who force-feeds her sexuality to everyone around her in hopes of blazing a path to stardom, Kardashian style. It doesn't help that she's enabled by her mom, Donna (Judy Greer), a failed actress who constantly snaps photos of her daughter for a "modeling" website that happens to include a private section reserved for paying members. Hannah has a thing for Chris (Travis Tope), Don's football player son whose own internet porn habits would not only put his dad's to shame, but have also left him unable to become aroused by anything but the images on his monitor.

Most tragic and heartbreaking of all is Allison (Elena Kampouris), so desperate to catch the eye of her crush that she developed an eating disorder after overhearing him make a disparaging comment about her weight. Now pale and waifish, she maintains her figure by seeking "support" from an online forum dedicated to staying thin at any cost, offering such helpful hunger-battling hints as "drink water and wait five minutes." Their slogan? "Pretty bitches never eat."

At the opposite end of the spectrum is Patricia (Jennifer Garner), a suburban parent who redefines the term "overprotecrive" as she demands that daughter Brandy (Kaitlyn Dever) surrender her cell phone on a regular basis so that she can read her emails and text messages, in addition to poring over pages of chat logs and using a GPS locator app to monitor her daughter's movements whenever she leaves the house. Patricia is convinced that she's keeping Brandy safely out of harm's way, yet remains oblivious to the fact that she's stifling any chance of her having a normal teenage existence.

And then there's Tim (Ansel Elgort), a star running back who elected to quit the football team in favor of investing his time in online role-playing games. Tim's interpretation of Carl Sagan's Pale Blue Dot (a recurring theme throughout the film) is that nothing matters in the grand scheme of things, so why bother investing in a "pointless" activity like football? He's much more content to form connections with other like-minded individuals in a virtual world, while growing increasingly distant from his father (Dean Norris), who continues to cope with the sudden departure of Tim's mother the previous year.

If that sounds like a lot to keep track of, you're correct. As the film progresses, each character is faced with their own individual conflicts, while simultaneously crossing paths with other characters and creating new conflicts along the way. It's not only gut- wrenching to see how commonplace cruelty has become in today's digital world, but terrifying to see how broadly we can all be affected by it. Seemingly innocuous decisions turn out to have major, far-reaching consequences, with actions affecting other characters in surprising ways. It's unapologetically reminiscent of Crash, which admittedly pulled off the same trick in a much more organic fashion that was far more believable.

But that's not to say that Men, Women and Children doesn't feel authentic. Having been acquainted with people that have struggled with eating disorders, depression, or poor self esteem, every performance in the film is pitch perfect, and it's almost frightening how expertly Reitman nails some of these issues. If you're looking for a film that will send you home with a smile on your face, this one isn't it. But if you want a thoughtful, genuine depiction of the how far our communication skills and regard for our fellow humans have fallen, look no further.

The movie seems to be about everything that is wrong with the Internet.

It goes over how distant and desensitized the internet can make us. It points out a generation gap between adults and children as the title suggest. For the most part he's suggesting we have a problem, He maybe right, but Ironically the format of the film with displaying text and websites on the screen which is starting to become common in movies, only adjust us to the problem versus resolving it.

But the movie is not fully negative as it does point how being able to communicate easier with one another is helpful.

Overall I like the movie. It has a great ensemble cast with the likes of Adam Sandler proving he can do drama. The small stories blended together well, but I must admit the filmmaker was trying to show us a bigger picture which I did not get.

It was humorous and it's the type of film that makes you think. worth sitting through.

Men, Women & Children is an introspection to the human isolation of modern life despite increased technical connections.

It is through the Men, Women & Children's characters, specifically high school teens and their parents, that writer/director Jason Reitman explores human communication and interaction and the changes caused by the internet.

It is through these relationships that Reitman then puts a mirror to the impact of the internet on communication, self-image, parenting, love and sexuality and other topics.

From this description, the film could sound like the audience might be in for a PBS special or history channel episode on the digital age. Men, Women & Children is a thought provoking film with interesting but increasingly faulted but well-developed characters. The well conceived plot and dynamic characters are thanks in part to author of synonymously titled novel in which the film is based, Chad Kultgen.

The subject matter of the film is quite heavy for a feature film of this magnitude and yet, it feels ultimately successful at being an accurate but dramatized portrait of modern American life. Though some archetypes are exaggerated slightly, such as the overprotective mom who has a support group that hands out pamphlets titled "The Dangers of Selfies", there is substantial justifiable honesty to this reality. It helps that Reitman chose to make the film more scathingly honest and therefore indie than superficial box office behemoth.

Since Men, Women & Children is an ensemble piece, the film was able to be stacked with notable actors and promising young actors: Adam Sandler, Rosemarie Dewitt, Jennifer Garner, Dean Norris, Judy Greer, Ansel Elgort, Kaitlyn Dever, Olivia Crocicchia, and Elena Kampouris. There is no weak performance from any actor or actress in the film, all are strong and believable. Men, Women & Children should have a character that resonates with you, either because you are that person, have been in that situation or know someone who has.

To top it all off, the movie has a complementary soundtrack that is appropriately disassociated and hauntingly airy. Ideally this film should be watched by parents and children simultaneously but preferably they should watch the film on their own for the ultimate message to hit home.

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Smartphones, Social Media, Surveillance, Spying: Saw Men, Women & Children starring Adam Sandler, Kaitlyn Dever, Rosemarie DeWitt, Jennifer Garner, and Ansel Elgort at AMC Theatres. The film basically depicts the times we live in; and what I mean by that is how the Internet and technology has changed our lives.

The main characters including high school students and their parents are followed throughout the movie which focuses on how the Internet impacts their relationships, communication, self-image, and love lives.

Several societal social issues are explored including, video games behavioral impact on teenage boys, the emotional impact of spreading rumors, per-marital sex, teen pregnancy, eating disorders, drug use, divorce, infidelity, Internet safety, fame-hunting, and pornography.

Each character/relationship is tested throughout the movie; which shows us, the audience, a variety of roads people choose in their lives; some negative, some positive; but no matter the road taken, the one thing that is very noticeably clear; immunity to the significant societal social change through the use of our smartphones, tablets, and computers in our society is unavoidable.

I found the film somewhat difficult to follow, but the narration by Emma Thompson did make that easier to do. Not the most entertaining film, but most definitely one that comes with many life lesson messages. Not a must see, but if you are looking for a different kind of film which delves in to societal social issues, go see it. My cinema score 7/10. ‪#‎maverickradio‬™