Golden Exits (2017) User Reviews

One sided cliche

[maaike-7-167274 · 5/10 · 27 February 2018]

I really wanted to like this movie! Chloe Sevigny, Jason Schwartzman, shot on film, what's not to like!?

Unfortunately the story and dialogue are really lacking.

When it comes down to it, it's about a few men who are into a younger woman and jeopardizing their own relationships because of this. Meanwhile, the women in the movie complain about the men in their lives being faithful or not and contemplate if their lives are meaningful.. Doing so in one sided, pretentious dialogues. So the men are happy exploring their interest in a young beautiful woman while three women are shown feeling miserable all the time. I'm not sure what the message would be of this movie..

If you wouldn't be bothered by the man-woman relationships, then the predictable story line could turn you off.

Some of the shots were nicely done and I appreciated the simpleness of the story and filming and of course the acting, I just think he missed the mark.

Interesting slice of life brought down by terribly written dialogue

[jordan_heidendahl · 6/10 · 27 October 2019]

The concept and characters dynamics kept me watching but the dialogue was terrible. They somehow got this solid cast to deliver this content in a bizarre Room level fashion. Dude, next time get a writer that has a little closer handle on reality.

Interesting

[ActionJackson23 · 6/10 · 1 October 2019]

If you don't like character- and dialogue-driven films, skip this one. I found it interesting. To me, it's about people in search of love and understanding...mostly of themselves. And unfortunately, they all suck at both. If there were some appreciable growth by at least one of these hapless humans, it would've helped. One of the characters had just a tiny bit of an arc.

That said, I can see why the filmmaker did what she did here. Golden Exits is a bit dark and many will find it equally depressing (if you're not taking what I'd call a very objective and observational approach to it), but I think the key point here is *so is life at times.* This film serves as a stark reminder that there is so much more for us than living in perpetual angst and unhappiness - a state in which most if not all of these characters seem to excel.

Slow and filled with clichés but still very touching

[dannybocek · 7/10 · 26 February 2018]

Even though the film is slow and some of the characters are one-dimensional clichés, I was still quite touched by it. Mostly because the dialogues are well written and the acting is top-notch. Good photography and soundtrack also helps.

Complex emotions

[Gordon-11 · 16 April 2018]

This film tells the story of a man with a history of infidelity, who hires a young woman as an assistant. The dynamics at home changes dramatically.

I'm not sure why the film is titled as such, as the title does not seem to be connected to the story. However, that does not stop me from finding the story engaging. It portrays complex human emotions well. It has many recognisable faces as well.

Another slice of mumblecore.

[alexqueens · 6/10 · 30 October 2019]

At times almost theatrical in dialogue/monologue, whilst in others, the encounters are real enough to make you feel like a voyeur in a conversation that's either awkward or personal.

Grammar? We don't need no stinkin' grammar!

[drafteeh · 3/10 · 9 January 2019]

Pretentious, over-written diarrhea. Yet another Woody Allen wannabe, peudo-sophisticated, verbose snooze fest.

A slow, ponderous descent into angst, unhappiness and bitterness

[latinfineart · 2/10 · 2 August 2018]

The worst aspect of this movie for me, was the character of Gwen, played very well by the great Mary Louise Parker. Perhaps she played this character too well. She is a woman filled with bitterness, regret, a self imposed isolation, and a determination to judge anyone and everyone around her. Her wrath seems to focus mostly on the characters of Alyssa and Nick. While Nick appears to be a fairly decent, and harmless guy, his wife Alyssa embodies some of the same angst and bitterness of her sister Gwen. Both are miserable beyond description. Both are women who absolutely refuse and seem utterly incapable of embodying even a nanogram of femininity, kindness and love, and then wonder why those around them find it so hard to embrace them. Alyssa has to wonder why Nick is not fulfilled? In my most dark moments, I cannot imagine living with someone as tepid, shrill, angry, and forlorn as this woman. And to have to deal with her ridiculous sister in law on top of that? Please. Just shoot me now.

If the film has value, it is as a means of establishing how not to live, or how not to merely exist as a couple. Their marriage is a horrendous nightmare, that I would not wish upon anyone. Being alone is a far better alternative than being in a relationship so devoid of passion, interest, kindness or tenderness.

Meanwhile, Naomi's sights are firmly set on Buddy (Jason Schwartzman), a record producer who married his own young assistant, Jess (Analeigh Tipton). Buddy tries to resist Naomi's charms, but finds himself making more and more excuses when he comes home late. Jess's miserably single sister Sam (Lily Rabe) is simultaneously suspicious of Buddy and jealous that Jess gets to be married at all.

As the men either harass or flirt with Naomi, hoping to recapture the freedom of their former selves - or at least the image they'd like to have of their former selves - the women feel suffocated in a different way. They use her presence as an impetus to analyze their own astonishing degree of unhappiness, caught as they are in the sludge of both their mid-life crises. However, their misery does appear to be of their own making.

Watch this film if you feel like a nice refreshing dip into the sewer of humanity. A visit to the local morgue is more uplifting. Not that I need films to uplift me. But, it is always more fulfilling to watch a movie with some content. Frankly, I am not sure what this movie was about.

Boring and flat

[originaliko · 4/10 · 18 March 2018]

I see three main reasons to see a movie, to be entertain, to learn something or to feel something. Miraculously, the movie manage to do neither. There's no character development. There's a plethora of characters who's live seems to be impacted by the arrival of the young australian but the end of the movie not one has changed, not one has learn something. The only impact she has finally is in their dialogue. I have a hard time constructing any argument so here is the bullet points :

• the music is flat
• the image is boring
• there's a lot of great actor but no great acting
• most of the dialogues are movie dialogues, not people dialogues.

In summary a very disappointing little boring movie. This is the kind of movie which does'nt serve any purpose.

A little diamond of a film

[Lugo1989 · 8/10 · 19 February 2018]

Golden Exits is one of those gems you feel very happy to come across every now and then. A film with real characters with real life problems that I am sure many people can relate to. One of the characters says that there are not many films made about ordinary people and that is what Golden Exits is basically about. The dialogue is fantastic and some of it might stay with you long after you have watched the film. It delas with feelings of unhappines, doubt, being stuck in life, seeing the world bleaker than it actually is etc. There is also a nice contrast between how simple the film seems to be when it comes to technical aspects but at the same time contains such heavy and deep content that grips you strongly. Good direction and top class acting are accompanied by a simple piano soundtrack that fits the mood of the film very well. Truly a little diamond that all fans of good drama might enjoy and appreciate.

Yikes.

[emjwright-32306 · 4/10 · 2 October 2020]

I wanted so badly to like this. The cast... My goodness. Emily Browning, Mary Louise Parker, Lily Rabe, Chloë Sevigny, Ad-rock, Schwartzman. Come on. What a lineup.

But even they couldn't save this movie. All I saw were a bunch of unhappy women wondering about their husband's attention to them and if said husbands were cheating.... or unhappy women wishing they had men, as they are just sooo unhappy being alone. As a bonus, you also get to watch unhappy men seeking validation and attention that apparently their successful and beautiful wives can't provide. All this displayed through boring and unrealistic dialog and actions.

You're going to line up a cast of badass women and then place them in these surface level roles? Really? An absolute waste.

This movie wanted to be profound and intertwined but missed both of those goals by a mile. It really is a shame.

Don't waste your time

[ketny601 · 3/10 · 19 April 2020]

I love indie films. I love films that others probably think are "boring" and "pointless". I love films that are heavy on dialogue and human relationships. This film checks those boxes, but where it lacks is in the acting and believability of the relationships and conversations. I mean I love Jason Schwartzman and Chloe Sevigny, that's why I watched the movie. But they couldn't even save this script, unfortunately. What I'm trying to say is that this movie was incredibly boring and trite.

Timeless, I wish

[nodttiurp · 4/10 · 26 January 2019]

The film was shot in 15 days. It felt like it took that long to watch it. The character development had potential, but it was a paradise lost. The New York setting could have been utilyzed to it's benefit, but it was nowhere to be found. I kept hanging on for some plot development. It went down like a leak in an ignored tire... very slowly. I've rated movies this poorly due to gratuitous sex. That would have improved this loser.

Another N.Y. Film on Dysfunctional Relationships

[westsideschl · 2/10 · 15 November 2018]

Part way through w/out even knowing I knew this script had to come out of N.Y. (and/or environs) based on personages in that area being obsessed w/dysfunctional relationships (must be the water). That and their other obsession which is rom-coms. Still another scripted older male w/young attractive "assisting" female providing the family (and beyond) with discord. Inane dialogue. So over-acted it was distracting (especially the expressive not-so-nuanced facial contortions). Further, to make the film has a heartbeat higher than near death they added some moronic piano key notes (as if tapping w/one hand). Ughhh!

Missed opportunity

[Ranbl · 8/10 · 16 October 2018]

It feels like a cross between neil simon and woody allen but without the brilliant insight. The acting is good but not much other than the angst of life not turning out to be what you want. Lily rabe is the exception. Her brilliant portrait of "Sam" is worth the movie alone. Sam is the only character that really conveys the dread properly. She really has introspection and depth. It's no materpiece but really well made. Good Saturday morning movie.

Another N.Y. Film on Dysfunctional Relationships

[westsideschl · 2/10 · 15 November 2018]

Part way through, w/out even knowing, I thought this script had to come out of N.Y. (and/or environs) based on personages in that area being obsessed w/dysfunctional relationships (must be the water). That and their other obsession which is rom-coms. Still another scripted older male w/young attractive "assisting" student/worker female unknowingly creating discord within a family. Inane dialogue. So over-acted it was distracting (especially the excessively expressive not-so-nuanced facial contortions). Further, to make the film have a heartbeat higher than near death they added some moronic piano key notes (as if tapping w/one hand). Ughhh!!

MISERY NEEDS COMPANY

[ursulajune · 2/10 · 11 November 2019]

This was like watching Anthony Weiner on probation while his wife packs his lunchbox for work at a girls school.

Annoying

[metta1 · 2/10 · 11 August 2019]

I just could not get into this movie, found it both annoying and boring! Didn't finish watching it.

bitterness

[Kirpianuscus · 4 September 2020]

The bitterness is the basic gift to viewer of this film. A film builded in its circle of talks and fears and gossips and analysis and walls of protection. Good premises, interesting cast but , in a moment, all becomes blocked in a circular movement. You do not feel the characters and the characters itself are more talkative statues. But, with some patience, easy to define it as a decent film.First, for the premises - a young Australian changing the life of few people and reveling, for her presence, delicate truths.