Jeff Daniels and Laura Linney play a couple who are on the verge of divorce. Neither characters is a particularly good person, Laura Linney because she was adulterous, and Jeff Daniels because he is unbelievably pompous and opinionated, looking down on anybody who is not educated or having the same values as him, he talks down to everybody he meets, and is a horribly unappealing person.
The movie is about divorce. I was much younger than these two when my parents divorced but the problems that resulted from the divorce linger today, it isn't fun, and this movie captures that, but that wasn't what stuck out in my mind at this movie. The one thing that stuck out was Jeff Daniels. In this movie he is along way from Dumb and Dumber. He does something that few people do: he plays a true unappealing prick. Okay there are the occasionally Gwyneth Paltrow or Sandra Bullock primadonnas who play unlikable characters, but they are nothing compared to Jeff Daniels.
The difference between him and every other character who is a prick is that he is never made to be a sympathetic character. Bythe end of this movie some might realize the man personally doesn't have an admirable trait about him. Kudos to Jeff Daniels as well for pulling this off, he does this part effortlessly. His performance alone left me up, it was startling to me, I stayed up late that night, I couldn't believe how much of a prick he was. The young kids do a nice job as well, giving sincere and disturbing performances.
This is a movie that is all acting, no special effects whatsoever. Movies like this focus on characterizations over special effects, and the movie works almost for that reason alone. As far as characters are concerned the movie is concise to almost every detail in terms of characterizing. The movie is set in 1986, and occasionally some of the hairstyles, some of the fashions, and a few other things stick out, and make you realize it's modern time, but by and large not many.
To see the differing parenting styles is interesting as well. The problems of the two parents are obvious. Even though the two are not appealing they do love their kids, and they try their best to show their love even though they both have their own personal problems. The movie covers the turbulent four way relationship of four flawed people all of whom may or may not like or love each other. The movie is particularly god in small doses covering the details of the parents and their own argumentative relationship, and their bickering and their disagreements.
This movie might get Oscar consideration, but if Jeff Daniels doesn't at least get an Oscar Nomination I will be disappointed, this is by far his best performance. The rest of the movie has a lot of characters who are fun to watch, and a lot to offer a movie goer. the one weakness with the movie were a few forced scenes and an indecisive ending where some will probably think they figured out what's going on but the writer (who happens to be the director) doesn't make it clear enough, I wish he would have, other than that this movie comes highly recommended.
The movie is about divorce. I was much younger than these two when my parents divorced but the problems that resulted from the divorce linger today, it isn't fun, and this movie captures that, but that wasn't what stuck out in my mind at this movie. The one thing that stuck out was Jeff Daniels. In this movie he is along way from Dumb and Dumber. He does something that few people do: he plays a true unappealing prick. Okay there are the occasionally Gwyneth Paltrow or Sandra Bullock primadonnas who play unlikable characters, but they are nothing compared to Jeff Daniels.
The difference between him and every other character who is a prick is that he is never made to be a sympathetic character. Bythe end of this movie some might realize the man personally doesn't have an admirable trait about him. Kudos to Jeff Daniels as well for pulling this off, he does this part effortlessly. His performance alone left me up, it was startling to me, I stayed up late that night, I couldn't believe how much of a prick he was. The young kids do a nice job as well, giving sincere and disturbing performances.
This is a movie that is all acting, no special effects whatsoever. Movies like this focus on characterizations over special effects, and the movie works almost for that reason alone. As far as characters are concerned the movie is concise to almost every detail in terms of characterizing. The movie is set in 1986, and occasionally some of the hairstyles, some of the fashions, and a few other things stick out, and make you realize it's modern time, but by and large not many.
To see the differing parenting styles is interesting as well. The problems of the two parents are obvious. Even though the two are not appealing they do love their kids, and they try their best to show their love even though they both have their own personal problems. The movie covers the turbulent four way relationship of four flawed people all of whom may or may not like or love each other. The movie is particularly god in small doses covering the details of the parents and their own argumentative relationship, and their bickering and their disagreements.
This movie might get Oscar consideration, but if Jeff Daniels doesn't at least get an Oscar Nomination I will be disappointed, this is by far his best performance. The rest of the movie has a lot of characters who are fun to watch, and a lot to offer a movie goer. the one weakness with the movie were a few forced scenes and an indecisive ending where some will probably think they figured out what's going on but the writer (who happens to be the director) doesn't make it clear enough, I wish he would have, other than that this movie comes highly recommended.