Tanya’s Score: Good-and-a-half*
Rated: R (for nudity)
Starring: Princess Margaret; Honey Boy; Exorcist’s mom
Plot: A half-year in the life of a grief-stricken young woman and the people around her.
Tanya’s Verdict: This is not a light and entertaining movie. By no means, is it Schindler’s List heavy – but just the same, there was a weight on my shoulders through much of it. In fact, the first 30 minutes were stressful to watch.
It’s portrayal is so realistic, so believable and at times so raw, that you may mistakenly believe you are watching a documentary. The performances by Vanessa Kirby, Shia LaBeouf and Ellen Burstyn are extremely intense and powerful – and are what move the story forward.
My one major complaint about this film is the music – so heavy-handed and over done that it came off as distracting and even annoying.
A word of warning: this is not an enjoyable movie. If you are averse to tragedy and the ensuing unraveling it can and will cause as individuals move through their own personal grief in a variety of self-destructive ways – then steer clear of this one.
I personally enjoy that kind of thing.
*Four score descriptions: Sh**; Okay; Good; Great