Letterboxd — Your life in film

Despite the pedigree of the (massively stacked) cast, this is not a straight-up comedy. You don't film a straight-up comedy in Ultra Panavision. You film epics in Ultra Panavision. And that's what this is: an epic farce, where the filmmakers go to extraordinary lengths in service of a gag. I mean, it's got its laughs, but mostly I was just in awe of how far it went, like Phil Silvers nearly drowning himself in a river or Jonathan Winters single-handedly destroying – as in, completely levelling – an entire garage.

Wonderfully chaotic. We'll never see the likes again.

This is the fourth time I’ve logged this so maaaaaaybe it’s time to admit this is more than a 1.5 star film? Tom Cruise is still the weakest part, giving an entirely one-note performance. But the same way a broken clock is right twice a day, sometimes that one note is perfect for the scene.

Easily one of the top 5 stupidest films I've ever seen. And I laughed my ass off for pretty much the whole thing.

It’s been fun crashing through time with these films this week, and reflecting on young love and mature (but, let’s face it, still young) regret that still has a faint glimmer of hope. 

But this one, I’m finally caught up with Jesse and Celine. Middle-aged people with two kids, who don’t have time for each other in the same way as they used to. Pointing out all the ways I saw aspects of my own life mirrored back at me might be a bit more revealing than I want from a Letterboxd review. But let’s just say: fuuuuck this one hit hard.

“Is that true?”
“I dunno, I like the story though.”

Before Sunset is a film dealing with the repercussions of youthful romanticism. It’s about loss, and regret, and the passage of time. There’s so much heartbreak in this film – Troy talking about how their missed connection in Vienna was the death of romantic love for him, Celine’s freak-out in the car – but the final lines give a little grace-note of hope that balances everything out.

A perfect film.

This was FINE. But thank fuck for Pete Davidson or it would lose more than one star.

Linklater’s script can pull you out of the film sometimes – apparently everyone around the world speaks with the same voice! Weird! – but the incredibly natural and incredibly relatable performances between the two leads that really drives the film. 

Also this is the cutest any two people have ever looked on film.

Loved this.

Perfectly servicably legal thriller that, despite its stacked cast, feels like it belongs on TV alongside shows like Bosch and Suits rather than a standalone 2-hour movie.

Final FINAL twist is absolutely ridiculous though.

Carpenter at his most ambitious meets Carpenter at his most exhausted. In the Mouth of Madness is an amazing concept and there are moments of real Zulawski-lite greatness throughout. But his reach has fully exceeded his grasp here so his heart isn’t really in it and the film squanders most of its interminable second act feeling like a forgettable episode of the X-Files.

The ending is a terrific payoff though.

“Well, the next day, today, Mr. Larrabee asked me to his house with my rocks and to bring Eunice. Or rather, Burnsy, the one he thinks is Eunice. Is that clear?”
“No, but it's consistent.”

Pretty close to perfect.

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.