In the event I was saved from much of my apprehension in that a lot of the dialogue, which I assume was intended to be quick-fire zany, was quite incomprehensible, delivered far too fast for me to grasp, at times in highly excited, even hysterical-yelling measure. How this film has received such warm notices is far beyond me.
Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein are the two central characters who regret having 'wasted' so much time in their high school years (filmed in L.A.) in successfully working towards high grades when they could have been having fun, sex, going to parties and drinking and drugging themselves silly. So they determine to catch up on what they missed out on in one spectacular blow-out, essentially compressed into the one day and night on the eve of their graduation. Oh, what fun!
Their school chums are worlds away from the time I was at school. Gender fluidity is 'in' and most definitely 'cool' . As if to illustrate how tolerant things have become one could hardly move for ultra-camp young men flamboyantly sashaying their way from one group to the next over the dance floor - or were they really all men? What the hell! This is 2019 when simply everything goes! No hostility in sight - not even one raised eyebrow!
The ear-splitting (for much of the time) soundtrack reflected the prevailing sense of hedonism, with intelligent conversation virtually outlawed, and most likely would have been indecipherable in any case.
Director Olivia Wilde (who has a considerable record as actress though in no roles which I can recall enough to have made an impression) here directs her first full-length feature. If her future projects are anything like this one I'd rather that she gave up now.
My negative opinion of the film is, I'm sure, a generation thing. Don't ask me what my couple of rating points are for - I'm blowed if I know. Maybe I just don't want to be seen as unkind.................2.
(IMDb................7.5 / Rott Toms.........3.98/5 )
I love that last paragraph! Give 'em a couple of points just because!
ReplyDeleteOnly 'cos I can't remember when the last time was when I awarded less than 2, though I know I have.
DeleteOooh err! I don't think I would bother with this. Sweet of you to offer a few points anyway.
ReplyDeleteMost critics and simple, ordinary reviewers (such as me) like it, and like it a lot, Carol. I think it's most likely to be my own feeling of alienation from what nowadays is considered to be good, quality 'entertainment'. I gave up following the latest in pop music about 15 years ago, accepting that the world has left me behind. So it seems to be also with the film world. Shame, but there it is.
DeleteI think I will wait until it is played on free tv to see what you hated so much about this movie. I am afraid I am out of the target audience range too for this type of movie.
ReplyDeleteJulie
Sometimes when films where I couldn't follow the dialogue come on TV it doesn't seem so down in that respect, Poppy. Could be the same with this one. However, I can't imagine that a dialogue which one can follow would rescue this from the pits for me. It would still be every bit as silly.
DeleteYou stated every reason why I probably would hate this. So without a doubt, I will stay far away from this wreck.
ReplyDeleteBeanie Feldstein is the sister of actor Jonah Hill and she also received rave reviews as Minnie opposite Midler in "Hello Dolly', so I was rather surprised to see the word "incomprehensible" used since she had experience on the Broadway stage.
I regularly find that experience on the stage can often mean next to nothing when it comes to voicing for cinema, Paul. One notable presence raised on stage projection sometimes makes me despair at his assumption that the microphones will pick up every mumbled word - Ian McKellan. On the other hand, other veteran actors of the past - I mention Gielgud and Olivier - were indeed able to pitch their voices at the right level for cinema. But in the case of this film it was more the express rate of delivery rather than enunciation which made to hard work for me. Perhaps those more used to American accents in real life would find it less of a problem. But anyway, as I say above, this was but one single aspect which made my attendance such a miserable one.
Deleteoooooh. That is unfortunate. I kind of wanted to see it, as I though Feldstein was possibly the best thing in 'Lady Bird'.
ReplyDeleteI'd rather you put my negative feelings down just to it just being me, B. and go ahead and see it. It just isn't my kind of film, but could well be yours.
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