May 17, 2012 11:51 AM
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Nothing extraordinary ever happens, we think that some miracle would intervene with the natural flow of the events, something which will turn the scales in our favour. Somewhere at the back of our minds we know that the situations are in a deadlock. There is no hand to pull us out of the unsteady currents. We have to swim out of it, or at least try. Such times break people, such times make people.
These days there are very few actors left in industry which can alone take up the responsibility of the movie. Apart from being heartthrob of a zillion girls out there, George Clooney is one of such. He portrays a roll of a lawyer named Mathew King. With his busy schedule he has become estranged from his family. He, his wife and two kids own a house in Hawaii, though part of the same; all four members live distant and aloof lives, hardly to call them a family. Unfortunately when he is away on a business trip, his wife Elizabeth meets with a fatal accident. Mathew rushes back to home to take care of her, their daughters and a magnificent piece of land which he inherits.
The movie does not throw any surprises to us. The events unfold in most linear possible sense. Startling and confusing the audience is never its agenda. This is an afternoon flick, when you need a little something to keep you going; something which is soft, tender and still engaging. The pros about the movie are not its plot or concept. The true proficiency lies in the execution. Both the lead actor and the director do a fantastic job in creating the exact emotion in audience’s minds.
The movie takes on slowly, like the waves of Hawaiian sea. Like a lazy afternoon they unfold. When we know that her health is progressively deteriorating we still have some hope. The fatal news comes afterwards, this shatters the worlds of Mathew and his daughters. The movie rightfully portrays a real life scenario, something which can happen to any of us. In those challenging times, we do not see the hero going out and doing heroic things, instead he does what a normal level headed guy would do. That’s one of the most successful parts of the movie, that the director is effective in keeping the story real; keeping the characters as simple as you and me.
You’d enjoy the movie in a sleepy afternoon, snug up in a cosy blanket, probably with your loved one. This movie brings about those emotions which we do not talk about much. There are not many moments of outspoken emotions, but those which present themselves, truly touch you. There are very few moments when Clooney is not on screen, times when the supporting cast is left with the responsibility of the feelings going. Alex(Shailene Woodley) does a wonderful job there.
Rotten tomatoes give this effort 89% where as it got 82 on metacritic. This movie certainly made my afternoon a little nicer today. What about you?
