James Brooks has, undoubtedly, made some of the best adult dramas. Terms of Endearment, Broadcast News, and As Good as it Gets are enduring American classics, and will stand the tests of time. With his latest, Ella McCay, Brooks has tried to recapture the magic of yesteryear - but with minimal success. And minimal is an understatement.
As played by Emma Mackey, Ella is an overachiever. In her early thirties, she's already a governor of her state, a mentor to her isolated brother (Spike Fearn), and a critical daughter to her philandering father (Woody Harrelson). But her biggest judgment faux pas is her husband Ryan (Jack Newell), a most duplicitous man who turns into a conniving snake once Ella reaches even basic levels of political influence. How could a smart, well rounded woman have made such a colossal mistake when selecting her life partner?
Most of the movie feels like it was on fast forward. Scenes move too fast, characters are never fully developed, and ending arrives before anything of relevance had preceded it. Based on its poor critical and box office reception, it seems unlikely that Brooks will get to make another movie. At 85 years of age, an argument can be made he never should've been given a budget for this muddled mess.
☆1/2
No comments:
Post a Comment