This is the one film I have watched in the last 6 months that has drawn the most people out of the woodwork to declare that they love this film.
This surprises me because I really don't love this film. I've also always thought of this film as one in a series of films that mark Lawrence Kasdan's decline as a director.
Generally speaking, I think this film is much too long and a bit meandering and aimless. There's a much better 1 1/2 hour film buried in it's 2 1/4 hour run time. I don't think there's anything wrong with anyone's performances ... almost everyone is quite good.
To zero in on my real issue with it:
This film isn't "Crash", but it's perilously close to being "Crash".
I'm not exactly clear what Kasdan thinks the film is about. At times, it appears to be about how scary declining American society is, and all the things a fairly ineffectual affluent man tries to do to make for it.
Or is it that the decline is just apparent ... a manifestation of some sort of mid-life crisis?
I don't know, and the Grand Canyon metaphor isn't very helpful since it represents one thing when Danny Glover brings it up, but can't possibly represent that anymore at the end of the film.
I suspect that a lot of the love for the film is that a lot of it feels really profound and important. I really don't think it is though.
This surprises me because I really don't love this film. I've also always thought of this film as one in a series of films that mark Lawrence Kasdan's decline as a director.
Generally speaking, I think this film is much too long and a bit meandering and aimless. There's a much better 1 1/2 hour film buried in it's 2 1/4 hour run time. I don't think there's anything wrong with anyone's performances ... almost everyone is quite good.
To zero in on my real issue with it:
This film isn't "Crash", but it's perilously close to being "Crash".
I'm not exactly clear what Kasdan thinks the film is about. At times, it appears to be about how scary declining American society is, and all the things a fairly ineffectual affluent man tries to do to make for it.
Or is it that the decline is just apparent ... a manifestation of some sort of mid-life crisis?
I don't know, and the Grand Canyon metaphor isn't very helpful since it represents one thing when Danny Glover brings it up, but can't possibly represent that anymore at the end of the film.
I suspect that a lot of the love for the film is that a lot of it feels really profound and important. I really don't think it is though.