You really pinpoint one of the issues I had with the movie. The writing is just a little too in your face sentimental at times. I can ultimately forgive it, but I’d be reluctant to call the movie perfect. I think Midnight Mass struck a better balance. Definitely a show worth checking out if you’re not yet familiar with Flanagan. Haunting on Hill House was also borderline perfect in my eyes.
The R rating hurt this film immensely, along with its placement in June. Neon only acquired it in September of 2024 almost a year AFTER it premiered at TIFF, I'd guess that most studios saw it as a hard sell even with the Audience Award. Also, as nice as the guy appears to be and as good of an actor as he is, Tom Hiddleston is not a movie star.
I think Neon acquired the film at the same festival where it premiered at TIFF 2024. But yeah, beyond a few F bombs, there's no rationale for an R-rating here, that's a great point.
I watched this last night, and while I enjoyed it for similar reasons you laid out in your review, this film feels like it was cooked up in a lab for the sole purpose of winning the Fan Choice Award at TIFF, and nowhere else. That audience loves those sentimentally positive films. I can’t say I blame them though, I’m typically in the same camp.
I feel like the marketing team had no clue how to sell this film for the masses, hence why the trailer unveils absolutely nothing about the movie. That might be partially why Neon pushed it to June.
You really pinpoint one of the issues I had with the movie. The writing is just a little too in your face sentimental at times. I can ultimately forgive it, but I’d be reluctant to call the movie perfect. I think Midnight Mass struck a better balance. Definitely a show worth checking out if you’re not yet familiar with Flanagan. Haunting on Hill House was also borderline perfect in my eyes.
Yeah it’s a sentimentality that comes with the genre but without some edge, it’s not lived in. But yeah I want to see what all the fuss is about
The R rating hurt this film immensely, along with its placement in June. Neon only acquired it in September of 2024 almost a year AFTER it premiered at TIFF, I'd guess that most studios saw it as a hard sell even with the Audience Award. Also, as nice as the guy appears to be and as good of an actor as he is, Tom Hiddleston is not a movie star.
I think Neon acquired the film at the same festival where it premiered at TIFF 2024. But yeah, beyond a few F bombs, there's no rationale for an R-rating here, that's a great point.
I watched this last night, and while I enjoyed it for similar reasons you laid out in your review, this film feels like it was cooked up in a lab for the sole purpose of winning the Fan Choice Award at TIFF, and nowhere else. That audience loves those sentimentally positive films. I can’t say I blame them though, I’m typically in the same camp.
I feel like the marketing team had no clue how to sell this film for the masses, hence why the trailer unveils absolutely nothing about the movie. That might be partially why Neon pushed it to June.
The most accessible and likeable indie movie this year is 'Bob Trevino Likes It'. Where it took me was higher than my initial thoughts.
It must have missed my radar, but I'll surely check it out
Last year's 'Ghostlight' and 'Day of the Fight' were also excellent.