People Like Us is probably the reason a large portion of American moviegoers hate critics. Many customers will laugh, cry, and feel they got their money's worth. Honestly, though, this nifty film could've been slightly less cloying.
Pine (Star Trek) is a wheeler-dealer sinking into debt and legal trouble. He's also estranged from his family, including momma Pfeiffer. When dad dies, Pine flies home in hopes he's inheriting some money. Dad left moolah, all right: $150,000. However, the cash is meant for Banks, a half-sister Pine never knew he had.
Pine already seems ethically challenged, so he could just take the money and run. However, something in his strained relationship with dad causes Pine to seek out his lost sister. She's a recovering alcoholic, and she's raising a very smart, reckless kid (D'Addario).
The performances are simply wonderful, especially Pfeiffer's. Yet, much of People Like Us tries too hard to make us weep. We may appreciate the warm, cozy lighting, or we may feel manipulated. We may be swept up by the swelling music, or we may feel it's too calculating. This flick is directed and written by Alex Kurtzman, a screenwriter whose credits include the worst sequels in the Transformers and Mission: Impossible franchises. Besides People Like Us, he's only directed a couple episodes of Alias. A more seasoned director might have been more dispassionate, letting the excellent acting and storyâ┚¬â€Âbased on real eventsâ┚¬â€Âspeak for themselves.
This is the second major motion picture this year based on the Snow White fable, andâ┚¬â€Âdespite absolutely stunning visualsâ┚¬â€Âit's only slightly better than Mirror Mirror. SW&tH has style to spare, as well as a wonderfully evil queen. Elsewhere in the kingdom, lugubrious acting and pacing shortchange a happy ending.
Theron is the malevolent sorceress whose dark magic has snagged her eternal youth. She stops men's hearts; she sucks the beauty out of young women. When she starts lusting for the heart of stepdaughter Snow (Stewart), the princess runs into the woods, aided by hunky, depressed huntsman Hemsworth.
It's all here: the magic mirror, the enchanted forest, the poisoned apple, and the curse-breaking kiss. However, it takes so long to get to the dwarves, I was wondering whether the script might forego them. Sure, it's called Huntsman, but the intense focus on back-story sucks the life out of the plot. SW&tH soars visually, but its missteps are frustrating. Theron has a creepy, pale brother (Spruell), who seems directly borrowed from the albino in The DaVinci Code. Mythical creatures and lands are introduced simply because they're cool to look at. Even the epic final battle is uninspiring. In that way, this ending is like Stewart's acting â┚¬Å”talent.â┚¬ÂÂ
Yet, if you can swallow the poisonously slow, dull bits (read: Stewart), Theron and her sorcery are actually awe-inspiring.
This stadium musical believes that 80s hair metal was pure cheese, so they take a very cheesy approach. Really, the success of RoA depends on your viewpoint. Model Tawny Kitaen sprawling all over a Jaguar while guys in lipstick played to a wall of sparks is either stupid or supremely awesome. (rock fingers!)
It's 1987. Poor singer girl Hough moves from Tulsa to L.A. to become famous. She starts waiting tables in a legendary bar next to rocker boyfriend Boneta. Baldwin (having a blast) owns the bar. Baldwin needs money for taxesâ┚¬â€Âand to fight evil do-gooder Zeta-Jones, who thinks metal is Satan's lullaby. So, Baldwin calls rock god Stacey Jaxx (an excellently campy Cruise) to perform.
It's all pretty cliché, a surprise Broadway hit, and a jukebox musical. Bon Jovi, Foreigner, Journey, Poison, Guns-n-Rosesâ┚¬â€Âif you know these bands, you can sing along to the mash-up medleys.
The voices are very good, but that doesn't seem to matter. Goofiness reigns. The jokes are numerous, because the movie believes there's no way to take the music seriously. In fact, I wince at films where talented actors act like morons. But I admit millions of others love it when their favorite performers do embarrassing things. So, here's a movie musical for those people. It certainly isn't for anyone who thinks metal is awesome. You're the butt of several jokes here.
