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questionable if this is a comedy but it has touches and dances beautifully around a heavy topic
personally, who doesn’t relate to hating idiots
tough sell, even including casting Hanks, but not dreadful
This comedy starts in an odd fashion by having a heavy amount of disjointed humour whilst we witness a slow build of plot, characterisation and narrative. In execution, this makes the first 30 minutes extremely questionable, which doesn’t help the flow and in hindsight, a reduction of this untidiness would help in protecting a coherent narrative and the viewer engaged towards a somewhat predictable ending.
The underlying tones and emotions carried by Otto Anderson (Tom Hanks) are obvious, but director Marc Foster (The Kite Runner and Quantum of Solace) decides on the blatant need to showcase this to the audience, similar to his work with World War Z. Reducing the gravity of the uniqueness of characters, and ultimately playing down on the strengths of Hank’s to perform these roles effortlessly.
The setting lends itself to a bland story, unfortunately, you can’t get distracted by a beautiful art direction or set, camera work or strong ensemble cast. Mariana Treviño does provide a wit to counter the dryness from Hanks. This makes the comedy feel more lively but sadly still forced. And “forced” is how the comedy is presented. The one pun that does land well is sadly overused with its ability to be used as a joke at every reference of a dying America never gains a laugh, but more of a groan to its near-constant reference once again. Alongside the shoe-horned narratives of the transgender character Malcolm and those that only film tragedy in the real world for social media fame takes a punt on this film gaining an audience with the younger generations. It comes across as a weak selling point and an afterthought from the producers with little to add to an otherwise incredible storyline.
The storyline stripped down is simply a lonely, isolated widower trying to find meaning in life. With these slap-dash additions and a slow, unnecessary first chapter a reduced screening time would definitely benefit the film. Especially with its attempt at quick wit delivery for Treviño who no doubt deserves a greater nod than Hanks in this film for carrying it through. Hanks, however, does still generate raw emotion when required especially around such a tough topic to deliver respectfully.
Where this film has its redeeming features is when it disregards the comedy elements and plays into the strengths of the key plot. The younger Otto establishes a crucial relationship that his wife is his world, and without that, there is nothing further for him. The pivoting between the then and now shows how this plays into the understanding of Otto, and inevitably the tears that surround the final moments of the film.
Andy Cook 