Like Father (2018)
On the face of it pairing Kristen Bell & Kelsey Grammer seemed interesting. It was off the rails pretty quickly for me though. All the jokes are dead on arrival. This is a big problem because you're left with a light rom-com tone, but no humour to justify it. It's a problem at the very foundation of the film, and everything built on it subsequently collapses. The premise is that an alcoholic, workaholic, mid 30's corporate superstar who is exceedingly beautiful in spite of her unhealthy lifestyle, struggles to find fulfillment while outwardly appearing to be a big success. The depiction of her flaws and underlying issues is far too cutesy. For instance, she is so absorbed with work she is negotiating deals on her cell phone moments before she has to walk down the isle. She stashes her phone in the bouquet since she lacks pockets.
CLASSIC RACHEL amiright?
CINECAST!ing shoot me.
Grammer's character is a complete bore when he shows up and it's clear you're going to have to hang in for another 45 minutes of stupid antics before there's going to be any kind of reckoning.
Netflix has mastered the production of bland mush.
Good Time (2017)
Runs out of momentum and sputters to a halt about halfway through. It's a shame because I was definitely into it for those first 20 or so minutes that it was building up. But an hour in I no longer cared what came next.
Awakenings (1990)
I could have stuck it out for that third act and come away with a solid 6/10 experience, but what would be the point. If the film was going to win me over it would've already done it when De Niro
got out of his chair. I know what comes after that. It's a good story, told competently (for it's time), but where's the wow? Everything is so mild. The ugliness of different peoples' afflictions are mild. The hurdles that Robin Williams character has to overcome are mild. The performances are mild. For me the film needed another gear.
