I ordinarily despise slow-paced movies, but I loved this one. I rewound several scenes several times to savor them again, and I teared up more than a few times, yet was often unable to say why. I notice other commenters hint at similar reactions -- unable to pinpoint exactly what hit them in the heart, but still appreciating it thoroughly. It's possible that the sheer mystery of how it works is part of why it works so well.
This is a stunningly fine film with no strong similarity to any other I can think of. Peter Dinklage gives an amazing performance, proving incidentally that *quantity* of dialog can be irrelevant to *quality* of acting. Many have said the movie isn't really focused on the fact that Fin is a dwarf, but I think it's an essential element. It explains, in part at least, Fin's preference for solitude, having presumably been mistreated for much of his life. This is clearly offered in 'sampler' format -- the cackling store clerk snapping his photo, the teasing from both kids and trashy adults, etc.
(That said, I'm eager to see his work in future roles and feel confident they won't all relate to his physical stature.)
On the flip side, Fin's arrival touches both Joe and Olivia immediately and positively. Joe wants a friend, Olivia wants -- well, we don't really know for sure, do we -- but they both also want to be kind and welcoming without being condescending. That proves a tough chore, but it obsesses both of them, and that's just plain uplifting. Both of them have their own stressful lives, yet they push themselves to interfere benevolently (at least from their POVs) in his. It makes you ache for all 3 of them.
The IMDb message boards for the majority of current movies quickly degenerate into rudeness. (I'm talking about the casual, unscreened posting threads labeled by topic, not the IMDb-approved comments you're reading now.) It says something good about this film that EVERY ONE of its message-board entries is calm and civil, even when expressing disagreement, and that many are unusually insightful. I think a lot of that is responding to the goodness in the film.
My easiest vote ever: 10 out of 10.
This is a stunningly fine film with no strong similarity to any other I can think of. Peter Dinklage gives an amazing performance, proving incidentally that *quantity* of dialog can be irrelevant to *quality* of acting. Many have said the movie isn't really focused on the fact that Fin is a dwarf, but I think it's an essential element. It explains, in part at least, Fin's preference for solitude, having presumably been mistreated for much of his life. This is clearly offered in 'sampler' format -- the cackling store clerk snapping his photo, the teasing from both kids and trashy adults, etc.
(That said, I'm eager to see his work in future roles and feel confident they won't all relate to his physical stature.)
On the flip side, Fin's arrival touches both Joe and Olivia immediately and positively. Joe wants a friend, Olivia wants -- well, we don't really know for sure, do we -- but they both also want to be kind and welcoming without being condescending. That proves a tough chore, but it obsesses both of them, and that's just plain uplifting. Both of them have their own stressful lives, yet they push themselves to interfere benevolently (at least from their POVs) in his. It makes you ache for all 3 of them.
The IMDb message boards for the majority of current movies quickly degenerate into rudeness. (I'm talking about the casual, unscreened posting threads labeled by topic, not the IMDb-approved comments you're reading now.) It says something good about this film that EVERY ONE of its message-board entries is calm and civil, even when expressing disagreement, and that many are unusually insightful. I think a lot of that is responding to the goodness in the film.
My easiest vote ever: 10 out of 10.