KAREN RUTTER reviews
[star rating=”4″] WONDER. Directed by Stephen Chbosky with Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson and Jacob Tremblay.
I really didn’t expect Wonder to live up to its title. It just sounded too schmaltzy. A little boy with facial deformities goes to fifth grade for the first time, and transforms those around him with his courage. Just … too mushy, right? But actually, it’s really well done. The story of August Pullman, who becomes a most unlikely hero in his ability to create genuine compassion and acceptance, is honestly heart-warming. And surprisingly good. Told in episodes which highlight different characters – mainly the kids in the film – it’s a fresh take on how difference is most often not tolerated, and how this can change. And most successful of all is the casting – Owen Wilson and Julia Roberts as caring parents, and a succession of really talented child actors, headed up by little Jacob Tremblay as The Boy with the Face. An entirely pleasant surprise.
[star rating=”4″] THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. Directed by Jason Hall with Miles Teller, Beaulah Koale, Joe Cole, Scott Haze and Amy Schumer.
Another surprise here, in an unexpectedly sympathetic and sensitive story about Iraq war veterans who return to the United States to find their emotional lives in pieces, and little to no support from their government back home. Thank You For Your Service follows the lives of a group of US soldiers who’re battling to integrate back into their “normal” lives once they return home from war. Their families feel the brunt, but without professional help things are hard. Treated as society’s discards, the men must rely on their friendships to try and pull through – some successfully, others not. It’s a thoughtful, often brutal take on the PTSD home-coming trope which avoids cliches and ends up being engrossing and moving.
[star rating=”3.5″] REBEL IN THE RYE. Directed by Danny Strong with Nicholas Hoult, Victor Garber, Lucy Boynton and Kevin Spacey.
Based on the biography by Kenneth Slawenski, Rebel in the Rye captures the backstory behind the creation of one of the 20th century’s greatest novel, Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger. Nicholas Hoult, in a well-honed performance, plays Salinger as he matures from sarky student to serious writer to best selling author, and finally a man who doesn’t compromise on his promise to honour writing – no matter what. Kevin Spacey takes a convincing role as his lecturer and mentor, while the rest of the strong cast create a supportive circle around Salinger in their various roles – girlfriend, wife, agent, and so forth. It’s an engaging, and interesting film, which ultimately sends a message about the power of persistence and hard work in pursuing a dream. Not too shabby.
[star rating=”2.5″] MODERN LIFE IS RUBBISH. Directed by Daniel Gill with Josh Whitehouse and Freya Mavor.
With a soundtrack that features The Libertines, Radiohead, Blur, Stereophonics and more, Modern Life is Rubbish traces the beginning, middle and end of the relationship between a young aspiring musician (Josh Whitehead) and a would-be album cover designer (Freya Mavor). Unfortunately, the script never quite lives up to the iconic backbeats, and the film dissolves into a weak rom-com with an embarrassing ending. The boy can’t ever seem to get his life together, while the girl sells out and gets a corporate job. Ultimately, probably better to listen to this movie then watch it. Just sayin’
WS
