Audience Member
Very surprised that few critics liked this film. It’s excellent.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
11/29/24
Full Review
Jam S
This is a very good film, and in fact, I was very surprised when I found out that seemingly people were not so keen. Really, Katie Holmes is really excellent, and her portrayal of miss meadows is perfect - she is clearly someone who is disturbed, emotionally stunted as a small child and this is very well done, she deserves sympathy, and her portrayal makes you at the same time, symapthetic, but also somewhat horrified and uneasy.
The back story is well done, and gives context without bludgeoning you with exposition - some reviewers have compained that the back story is "banal", but is this true ? Clearly the reviewer hasn't read Hannah Arendt and the analysis of the banality of evil. I would not say that Miss Meadows is evil, but she was clearly trapped as a child, quite understandably, and hasn't developed normally since then.
The film is a lot more disturbing that people perhaps realise. The reviewers seem to consider it a "comedy-thriller". But why is this ? Because of the quirkyness of Miss Meadows ? This is the only vaguely comedic thing about the film. It is not a comedy, but the strained perkiness of Miss Meadows some how suggests that it might be, if you are not paying attention. One might as well say that Joker was a "comedy-superhero" film. Clearly Miss Meadows is not in the same league as Joker, but it should perhaps be taken in the same vein.
Miss Meadows is not always perky, and it is clear that this is mostly a veneer, and that she has become this way as a protection. The perkiness draws you in, right from the beginning you can tell that she is unhinged, and it is a a realistic performance: I know people like her - not homicidal, but with an outward seemingly impregable happiness, at such a level that you fear that at any moment they might snap, and who laugh at things in a completely over the top, and unhinged way that they just don't realise they are doing it, the sort of thing that might actually embarrass people around them and where you can secretly imagine them cutting the heads of flowers with a fixed grin. This is what is going on here.
It is a "small" film, ie it has a reasonably straightforward plot, and a small town, restricted setting - no huge vistas, large buildings, and needless over the top violence, and it keeps unecessary details to a minimum, as it should. The violence that there is, is restrained and believeable.
It seems to be a form of parable, and viewed in this way, it really works. Don't pay too much attention to the other reviews, they seem to be claiming that the writer and director were trying to do more, and were not successful, and that is unfair: I think that they wanted to tell a straightforward story, as a sort of dreamlike parable but clearly anchored in the real world. For the subject matter, this is really the only proper way to do it, and it works. A strange and somewhat out of place character in the real world.
What is the "message" of the film ? Some of the other reviewers seem to be quite scathing there, but really, DOES a film have to have an overt message ? Maybe it is a message of redemption, maybe of second chances, but does it really matter ? It is a good film, and, as with the best films, it doesnt bludgeon you, or treat you like a child, but does seem to ask that you watch perhaps as if through the eyes of a child - apt because of the large number of children in the film. That is another thing - the children, they are all excellent, and their performances would be worth watching the film for by themselves. You should watch this film, you really should.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
08/27/24
Full Review
Brian G
Not usually a fan of drama. If it were not for Reelz on Farcebook I would not have even known of this movie. While it started out fast, it was slow paced. The content was fine and the acting was good to very good at most times. Even with a slow plot line that was evident from the beginning the movie moved fast enough that you do not fall asleep easily. Some of the reveals should have been evident but were not. Some of the scenes were overthought and this is why the movie was not great! But all in all a good movie for my dollar!
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
07/29/24
Full Review
Simone C
Trust me, there are sooo bad movies that receive better scores and this one with just 38% is son infair. Give it a shot!
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
07/16/24
Full Review
Jenna C
Why has this movie got such a low score? Much better than an awful lot. I love the awkwardness and the wardrobe. Surprised as best performance i have seen from Katie Holmes.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
06/28/24
Full Review
Robert D
Truly one of a kind movie and I found the surrealistic plot, dark humor and psychotically endearing portrayal of Miss Meadows by Katie Holmes absolutely amazing. There is not another actor on the planet that could have pulled off that role as convincingly - especially with those eyes, that voice and those distinct facial expressions . I put this movie up in the very same category as the Boondock Saints and Ben Affleck's The Accountant - both movies were indeed popular enough to warrant sequels (Affleck's currently in work). I wish Holmes would do a Miss Meadows sequel. Katie needs to drop the "human situation" and romcom films and branch out into more films like this one. She's way too good at this kind of role not to.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
05/21/24
Full Review
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