© 2012 Ray Wong
You'd think Judd Apatow could do no wrong. Well, that is if he was directing. As a producer, Apatow has had enough stink bombs to compensate for the hits. Unfortunately, Wanderlust is in the latter category.
George (Paul Rudd) and Linda (Jennifer Aniston) are New York couple ready to make the leap of becoming homeowners. George has a relatively good job, while Linda is a documentary maker who is still trying to figure out her niche. Soon, however, they find themselves in a jam after George loses his job and Linda fails to sell her documentary to HBO. Unable to sell the condo, they decide to leave New York to temporarily stay with George's brother Rick (Ken Marino). While enroute to Atlanta, they stumble into a commune and are lured into its carefree lifestyle.
When things don't work out with his brother, George and Linda decide to return to the commune and try it out. "Fathered" by Carvin (Alan Alda) who started the commune in 1971, everyone resident welcomes George and Linda with open arms… and more. What started out as an idyllic life becomes major annoyances for George. Meanwhile, Linda has "drunk the Kool-Aid" and is determined to stay. Little does George realize his idea of finding a carefree, happy life would break his marriage apart.
Paul Rudd (That Is All) has been playing the happy-go-lucky guy-next-door type for years. This role isn't much different, and Rudd can probably do it in his sleep. In a way, it's kind of sad. Rudd does have range, and I hope he can find better materials that showcases his real talent. In the same vein, Jennifer Aniston (Horrible Bosses) keeps playing the same character. She can do so much more (see Horrible Bosses or Management). Granted, Rudd and Aniston have some good chemistry, but I can't help but feel like they're just phoning in their performances.
Justin Theroux (The Ten) has a good time playing the zany hippie Seth, who has the eye for Linda despite George's objection. See, if I were Paul Rudd, I would insist on trading roles with Theroux -- it's a much better and more interesting role. Alan Alda (Tower Heist) also seems to have a good time playing the absentminded patriarch. Joe Lo Truglio (Paul) bears it all (literally) as the nature-loving writer. His is one of the better, more realistic performances.
Marlin Akerman (The Proposal) seems out of place with the rest of the cast -- she looks and acts too pretty, and too normal. Meanwhile, Kathryn Hahn (Our Idiot Brother), Lauren Ambrose (Think of Me) and Kerri Kenney (All About Steve) are perfect as the "slightly" crazy women at the commune. Screenwriter-actor Ken Marino (Jeffrie Was Here) is excellent as George's narcissistic brother.
Written by Marino (Role Models) and director David Wain (Role Models), the screenplay has some bright spots, especially the scenes with George and his brother. At the commune, however, it feels that the writers are trying too hard to be funny, outrageous and raunchy. The result is that it's not particularly funny either. The jokes often feel forced, uneven, and gross just for gross's sake. Not to mention rather sophomoric. While the leads are rather bland (for a purpose, I suppose), the side characters are too cartoonish, with the exception of Seth, Carvin and Wayne the Nudist.
Wain's direction is also uneven. At times it feels like a TV skit. As a raunchy broad comedy, the movie has its moments, but over all, it is simply tiresome and overdone, loud and obnoxious. I think Wain and Marino could have made this much better by studying Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up, for example) and by better developing the minor characters.
Wanderlust is an interesting idea with potential that somehow gets lost in translation. The execution is subpar. It simply wanders into the category of "miss" instead of "hit."
Stars: Paul Rudd, Jennifer Aniston, Justin Theroux, Alan Alda, Malin Akerman, Ken Marino, Joe Lo Truglio, Kathryn Hahn, Lauren Ambrose, Kerri Kenney
Director: David Wain
Writers: David Wain, Ken Marino
Distributor: Universal
MPAA Rating: R for sexual content, graphic nudity, language and drug uses
Running Time: 98 minutes
Ratings:
Script - 5
Performance - 6
Direction - 6
Cinematography - 7
Music/Sound - 6
Editing - 7
Production - 7
Total - 6.2 out of 10.0
This Means War
© 2012 Ray Wong
A action-packed romantic comedy about spies? That's not a new idea. There was a funny flick called Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and before that was a gem called True Lies. Ideas are a dime a dozen, of course, and it's all in the writing and execution. This Means War fails on that front.
FDR (Chris Pine) and Tuck (Tom Hardy) are two field FBI agents who, after a botched operation in Hong Kong, are demoted to the "office" until they can locate a criminal named Heinrich (Til Schweiger). Tuck, while divorced, decides to check out a dating site. Meanwhile, single and miserable Lauren (Reese Witherspoon) is convinced by her best friend Trish (Chelsea Handler) to check out the same dating site. Lauren is instantly attracted to Tuck, and they decide to meet for a date.
Nervous about the prospect, Tuck asks FDR to help bail him out if the date goes sour. Fortunately, Tuck and Lauren hit it off immediately. And unfortunately for Tuck, after their date Lauren also bumps into FDR, who (without knowing she is Tuck's date) pursues immediately. When Tuck and FDR realizes they're dating the same woman, they vow to compete "like two gentlemen." Of course, as the dating game progresses, there's nothing "gentlemanly" as the two best friends break all the rules to beat each other.
Reese Witherspoon (Water for Elephant) has had some misfires lately, and was sorely miscast in Water for Elephant. Here, she fits the role rather nicely, but I can't help but wonder if the role is miswritten. Her character simply stands out like a sore thumb in this otherwise funny buddy movie.
The guys have a much better time being best friends/rivals and savvy spies. Chris Pine (Unstoppable) is slick and charming as the player who falls for a regular girl (more on that later). Pine has enough cockiness and charisma to pull that off. Tom Hardy (Warrior) tries his hands in comedy with good results. As the earnest-to-a-fault divorced father, Hardy is cool and stoic, a great contrast to Pine. And the two actors share some impressive chemistry.
And that may be the problem. Written by Timothy Dowling (Role Models) and Simon Kinberg (Sherlock Holmes), the story is pretty dark good as a bromance. The two leading male characters and friendship/rivalry are developed. They are believable, and their relationship makes sense. And the action fits that plot very well. However, the romance throws the whole thing off balance. The character of Lauren is underwritten, and the situations and romance between her and the two men are contrived and forced. I am left with the confusion why these two men are so hung up on her (what's so special about her?) and would risk their friendship for her. The conceit is that these two men compete just for competition's sake… but I'm not convinced.
The problem is that the character development is heavy on the guys, but the plot is heavy on the guy-girl-guy love triangle, which happens to be the weakest part. We spend much of the movie with them trying to outsmart each other while wooing Lauren, but the relationships with Lauren are poorly developed -- they feel like plot device instead of real relationships. You have a feeling that men wrote the screenplay… ah, well, two guys did write it.
McG (Terminator Salvation) took a much needed break after his last disaster, and he chose wisely with such a light-hearted romantic action-comedy. His direction is nicely paced and slick, and the film is well produced. Surely there is some cheese and typical action sequences that are outrageous but still fun to watch. It is during the romantic scenes that McG seems to be somewhat lost. He can't rise above the material.
This Means War is entertaining, of course. That's the point, isn't it? Still, given the weak writing and the weak relationships between the female and male leads (and it's a romantic comedy), we realize how important character development is. What made Mr & Mrs. Smith or True Lies great wasn't that they were action-packed romantic comedies, but they had great characters and realistic relationships. Not quite here. And that means FAIL.
Stars: Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, Tom Hardy, Til Schweiger, Chelsea Handler
Director: McG
Writers: Timothy Dowling, Simon Kinberg
Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox
MPAA Rating: R for some sexual content
Running Time: 98 minutes
Ratings:
Script - 6
Performance - 7
Direction - 6
Cinematography - 7
Music/Sound - 7
Editing - 7
Production - 7
Total - 6.7 out of 10.0
A action-packed romantic comedy about spies? That's not a new idea. There was a funny flick called Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and before that was a gem called True Lies. Ideas are a dime a dozen, of course, and it's all in the writing and execution. This Means War fails on that front.
FDR (Chris Pine) and Tuck (Tom Hardy) are two field FBI agents who, after a botched operation in Hong Kong, are demoted to the "office" until they can locate a criminal named Heinrich (Til Schweiger). Tuck, while divorced, decides to check out a dating site. Meanwhile, single and miserable Lauren (Reese Witherspoon) is convinced by her best friend Trish (Chelsea Handler) to check out the same dating site. Lauren is instantly attracted to Tuck, and they decide to meet for a date.
Nervous about the prospect, Tuck asks FDR to help bail him out if the date goes sour. Fortunately, Tuck and Lauren hit it off immediately. And unfortunately for Tuck, after their date Lauren also bumps into FDR, who (without knowing she is Tuck's date) pursues immediately. When Tuck and FDR realizes they're dating the same woman, they vow to compete "like two gentlemen." Of course, as the dating game progresses, there's nothing "gentlemanly" as the two best friends break all the rules to beat each other.
Reese Witherspoon (Water for Elephant) has had some misfires lately, and was sorely miscast in Water for Elephant. Here, she fits the role rather nicely, but I can't help but wonder if the role is miswritten. Her character simply stands out like a sore thumb in this otherwise funny buddy movie.
The guys have a much better time being best friends/rivals and savvy spies. Chris Pine (Unstoppable) is slick and charming as the player who falls for a regular girl (more on that later). Pine has enough cockiness and charisma to pull that off. Tom Hardy (Warrior) tries his hands in comedy with good results. As the earnest-to-a-fault divorced father, Hardy is cool and stoic, a great contrast to Pine. And the two actors share some impressive chemistry.
And that may be the problem. Written by Timothy Dowling (Role Models) and Simon Kinberg (Sherlock Holmes), the story is pretty dark good as a bromance. The two leading male characters and friendship/rivalry are developed. They are believable, and their relationship makes sense. And the action fits that plot very well. However, the romance throws the whole thing off balance. The character of Lauren is underwritten, and the situations and romance between her and the two men are contrived and forced. I am left with the confusion why these two men are so hung up on her (what's so special about her?) and would risk their friendship for her. The conceit is that these two men compete just for competition's sake… but I'm not convinced.
The problem is that the character development is heavy on the guys, but the plot is heavy on the guy-girl-guy love triangle, which happens to be the weakest part. We spend much of the movie with them trying to outsmart each other while wooing Lauren, but the relationships with Lauren are poorly developed -- they feel like plot device instead of real relationships. You have a feeling that men wrote the screenplay… ah, well, two guys did write it.
McG (Terminator Salvation) took a much needed break after his last disaster, and he chose wisely with such a light-hearted romantic action-comedy. His direction is nicely paced and slick, and the film is well produced. Surely there is some cheese and typical action sequences that are outrageous but still fun to watch. It is during the romantic scenes that McG seems to be somewhat lost. He can't rise above the material.
This Means War is entertaining, of course. That's the point, isn't it? Still, given the weak writing and the weak relationships between the female and male leads (and it's a romantic comedy), we realize how important character development is. What made Mr & Mrs. Smith or True Lies great wasn't that they were action-packed romantic comedies, but they had great characters and realistic relationships. Not quite here. And that means FAIL.
Stars: Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, Tom Hardy, Til Schweiger, Chelsea Handler
Director: McG
Writers: Timothy Dowling, Simon Kinberg
Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox
MPAA Rating: R for some sexual content
Running Time: 98 minutes
Ratings:
Script - 6
Performance - 7
Direction - 6
Cinematography - 7
Music/Sound - 7
Editing - 7
Production - 7
Total - 6.7 out of 10.0
Chronicle
© 2012 Ray Wong
Call it Cloverfield meets X-Men if you want, but that's what Chronicle is about: a bunch of teenagers discovering their superpowers, while being caught on video.
Andrew (Dane DeHaan) is a shy, withdrawn teenager with a low self-esteem. His mother is seriously ill and his out-of-work father is abusive. Andrew's only friend is his cousin Matt (Alex Russell), who is a popular boy at school. When Andrew gets a new video camera, he starts to chronicle his life every chance he can.
While being at a party, Steve (Michael B. Jordan), the super cool class president candidate, asks Andrew to follow him to a remote clearing. It appears that Matt and Steve found something: a hole in the ground. They discover something strange inside and the hole and they can't remember what happens next. Soon, they realize they are slowly develop special powers: the ability to control objects, including their own bodies. Soon they even learn how to fly.
They try to keep the revelation among themselves, but an incident almost almost reveals their secret. Worse, they realize how dangerous their power could be if they don't learn to control them. Matt and Steve try to set some ground rules, but Andrew refuses.
Andrew begins to let his powers get to his head. As he becomes more popular, he also realizes his limitation and humiliation if he doesn't fully use his powers to achieve his goals. Andrew is now seduced by his powers. When tragedy strikes, Andrew finally loses his control and gives in to the dark side.
Dane DeHaan (True Blood) is perfect as Andrew, the introverted nerdy kid who discovers his new super powers. DeHaan is capable of revealing the vulnerability and darkness of his character. Unfortunately, as the anti-hero, his character, while sympathetic, is rather annoying and irritating. Alex Russell (Almost Kings) has a much more likable role as cousin Matt. Unfortunately, the story is told mostly from Andrew's point of view with only slight deviations that follow Matt (I'll talk about this later), so Russell doesn't get to do much of his stuff to give his character more depth.
Michael B. Jordan (Red Tails) does a good job playing the charismatic Steve. He shows enough sides of the character (from cockiness to a genuine earnestness and concern for his friends) to make the character real. Michael Kelly (The Adjustment Bureau) is in good form as Andrew's abusive father, but his cliched role doesn't allow him to add much to it. Ashley Hinshaw (Rites of Passage) is one of the two females in the entire cast. With not much to do, she hardly makes any impression.
Written by Max Landis (Dupe), the screenplay copies heavily on Cloverfield in that the entire story is told by handheld video (or footage from surveillance cameras where the main cameras are not available). The storytelling technique works very well in the first half of the story, where the plot is more intimate, dramatic and authentic. The first part has a realness to it that makes you want to care about these characters, even when some of them continue to be annoying. The drama unfolds naturally and organically and the use of the handheld camera is believable.
The concept, however, starts to unravel as the plot progresses into an action-thriller. Landis begins to rely on contrived methods to continue the conceit: other people's cameras, surveillance cameras, etc. It becomes rather tiresome. Not to mention the story feels one-sided, as it's told mostly from Andrew's point of view. While Andrew is a main character, he is only one of the three, and he is a weak character (despite his dark side). It's really difficult to pull off an unreliable, unlikable character as your protagonist, especially when he gives in to the dark side (One only needs to study Star Wars I, II, and III -- even George Lucas couldn't do it well).
That said, director Josh Trank (The Kill Point) has a good eye for the "documentary" style storytelling. His use of the handheld camera gives the film a nice realness. It works exceptionally well in the first half of the movie, and we're left with suspense and a "right there, right now" feeling. It is only when the story arrives at the inevitable action sequences and climax that it becomes clear that the technique doesn't quite work for the entire story. Still, Trank does his best.
Chronicle is a really clever high concept that works most of the time, especially during the first half. It is during the second half when the science-fiction/fantasy becomes rather unbelievable and over the top.
Stars: Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, Michael B. Jordan, Michael Kelly, Ashley Hinshaw, Bo Petersen, Anna Wood
Director: Josh Trank
Writers: Max Landis, Josh Trank
Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense action and violence, thematic material, some language, sexual content and teen drinking
Running Time: 84 minutes
Ratings:
Script - 7
Performance - 7
Direction - 7
Cinematography - 7
Music/Sound - 8
Editing - 8
Production - 7
Total - 7.4 out of 10.0
Call it Cloverfield meets X-Men if you want, but that's what Chronicle is about: a bunch of teenagers discovering their superpowers, while being caught on video.
Andrew (Dane DeHaan) is a shy, withdrawn teenager with a low self-esteem. His mother is seriously ill and his out-of-work father is abusive. Andrew's only friend is his cousin Matt (Alex Russell), who is a popular boy at school. When Andrew gets a new video camera, he starts to chronicle his life every chance he can.
While being at a party, Steve (Michael B. Jordan), the super cool class president candidate, asks Andrew to follow him to a remote clearing. It appears that Matt and Steve found something: a hole in the ground. They discover something strange inside and the hole and they can't remember what happens next. Soon, they realize they are slowly develop special powers: the ability to control objects, including their own bodies. Soon they even learn how to fly.
They try to keep the revelation among themselves, but an incident almost almost reveals their secret. Worse, they realize how dangerous their power could be if they don't learn to control them. Matt and Steve try to set some ground rules, but Andrew refuses.
Andrew begins to let his powers get to his head. As he becomes more popular, he also realizes his limitation and humiliation if he doesn't fully use his powers to achieve his goals. Andrew is now seduced by his powers. When tragedy strikes, Andrew finally loses his control and gives in to the dark side.
Dane DeHaan (True Blood) is perfect as Andrew, the introverted nerdy kid who discovers his new super powers. DeHaan is capable of revealing the vulnerability and darkness of his character. Unfortunately, as the anti-hero, his character, while sympathetic, is rather annoying and irritating. Alex Russell (Almost Kings) has a much more likable role as cousin Matt. Unfortunately, the story is told mostly from Andrew's point of view with only slight deviations that follow Matt (I'll talk about this later), so Russell doesn't get to do much of his stuff to give his character more depth.
Michael B. Jordan (Red Tails) does a good job playing the charismatic Steve. He shows enough sides of the character (from cockiness to a genuine earnestness and concern for his friends) to make the character real. Michael Kelly (The Adjustment Bureau) is in good form as Andrew's abusive father, but his cliched role doesn't allow him to add much to it. Ashley Hinshaw (Rites of Passage) is one of the two females in the entire cast. With not much to do, she hardly makes any impression.
Written by Max Landis (Dupe), the screenplay copies heavily on Cloverfield in that the entire story is told by handheld video (or footage from surveillance cameras where the main cameras are not available). The storytelling technique works very well in the first half of the story, where the plot is more intimate, dramatic and authentic. The first part has a realness to it that makes you want to care about these characters, even when some of them continue to be annoying. The drama unfolds naturally and organically and the use of the handheld camera is believable.
The concept, however, starts to unravel as the plot progresses into an action-thriller. Landis begins to rely on contrived methods to continue the conceit: other people's cameras, surveillance cameras, etc. It becomes rather tiresome. Not to mention the story feels one-sided, as it's told mostly from Andrew's point of view. While Andrew is a main character, he is only one of the three, and he is a weak character (despite his dark side). It's really difficult to pull off an unreliable, unlikable character as your protagonist, especially when he gives in to the dark side (One only needs to study Star Wars I, II, and III -- even George Lucas couldn't do it well).
That said, director Josh Trank (The Kill Point) has a good eye for the "documentary" style storytelling. His use of the handheld camera gives the film a nice realness. It works exceptionally well in the first half of the movie, and we're left with suspense and a "right there, right now" feeling. It is only when the story arrives at the inevitable action sequences and climax that it becomes clear that the technique doesn't quite work for the entire story. Still, Trank does his best.
Chronicle is a really clever high concept that works most of the time, especially during the first half. It is during the second half when the science-fiction/fantasy becomes rather unbelievable and over the top.
Stars: Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, Michael B. Jordan, Michael Kelly, Ashley Hinshaw, Bo Petersen, Anna Wood
Director: Josh Trank
Writers: Max Landis, Josh Trank
Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense action and violence, thematic material, some language, sexual content and teen drinking
Running Time: 84 minutes
Ratings:
Script - 7
Performance - 7
Direction - 7
Cinematography - 7
Music/Sound - 8
Editing - 8
Production - 7
Total - 7.4 out of 10.0
Big Miracle
© 2012 Ray Wong
Based on a true story that made big news in the late 80s, Big Miracle chronicles the effort of saving three gray whales near Barrow, Alaska.
When local reporter Adam Carlson (John Krasinski) spots three gray whales trapped in the ice off the shore of Barrow, Alaska, he knows he has a good story; he just doesn't know how good it really is. Soon, the news catches the attention of national media, and a horde of reporters, including Jill (Kristen Bell) from LA, arrive in the small fishing town to either watch the whales being saved or die.
Greenpeace activist Rachel Kramer (Drew Barrymore), who also happens to be Adam's ex, makes it her mission to save the whales. While her aggressive antics can't get her any sympathy, the whales themselves attract the attention of some people with influence. Eventually, her "nemesis," oil tycoon J.W. McGraw (Ted Danson) decides to pitch in (he also realizes it's a great PR opportunity) and lend his hovercraft to the National Guard for the rescue mission. While Col. Scott Boyer (Dermot Mulroney) struggles to carry out the mission against the harsh weather in Alaska, the townsfolk do whatever they can to keep the whales alive.
John Krasinski (Something Borrowed) is the quintessential guy-next-door, and the role of Adam Carlson fits him like a glove. However, aside from being likable and charismatic, the character simply doesn't have much depth; at times he can appear shallow. There's not much Krasinski could do about it. Drew Barrymore (Going the Distance), on the other hand, is fully engaged as the feisty yet vulnerable Greenpeace activist. Through her affecting performance (and on-screen persona), we come to care a lot about her character, her mission, and her conviction. Unfortunately, her chemistry with Krasinski is somewhat lacking for the romantic subplot to work.
The huge cast consists of some familiar faces. Ted Danson (The Open Road), as the ruthless tycoon who has a change of heart, is a welcome part of the ensemble. Believe it or, he brings some needed credibility and gravity to the otherwise young and somewhat "fluffy" cast. As an ambitious reporter, Kristen Bell (Burlesque) does what she does best: being cute and spunky. Surprisingly, she and Krasinski have a much better chemistry and we actually root for them to get it on.
Dermot Mulroney (The Grey) is suitably handsome but grumpy as Col. Boyer, and he shows enough of a sensitive side of the hardcore military man to impress us. The narrator is played by newcomer Ahmaogak Sweeney, whose Eskimo heritage adds to the authenticity of his role. He's not a bad young actor either.
Adapted from Thomas Rose's book, which itself was based on the true events, the screenplay is the product of Jack Amiel (The Shaggy Dog) and Michael Begler (The Shaggy Dog). Neither is stranger to the family movie genre, and it shows. Despite the serious environmental themes and story, the tone of the film is light and fluffy, almost a comedy. The plot unfolds conventionally, introducing us to the myriad of characters and their relationships. Granted, it's rather cliched, and the characters all come across as archetypes. I have to give the writers kudos for keeping the plot streamlined and the characters clear despite the multiple threads and large cast.
Once the story takes off, the plot gets interesting and we can't help but wonder what is going to happen next, and if the whales would survive (if you never knew about the original story). It's then when the story and the characters give us some pleasant surprises. The archetypical characters are not who they seem, after all -- they become more rounded and three-dimensional. And not every this happy and rosy either. There is a dark moment in the story that would most likely make the sentimental ones shed a few tears.
Director Ken Kwapis (He's Just Not That Into You) manages to weave the multiple threads and huge cast of characters into a coherent story. His tone is light in general, with enough heart and emotions to keep us engaged. The characters are all likable -- there is no real villain here (except the harsh weather and ice). The pacing is good. The special effects (especially with the whales) are good, too. If there's a critique, it's that the production has the look and feel of a TV movie.
I'm usually not a big fan of family films about animals. But Big Miracle is a big surprise for me. I enjoy it and come out of the theater feeling good about humanity and the world. If the movie manages to touch one person's heart and change one person's mind, it's already a big win.
Stars: John Krasinski, Drew Barrymore, Ted Danson, Kristen Bell, Dermot Mulroney, Ahmaogak Sweeney
Director: Ken Kwapis
Writers: Jack Amiel, Michael Begler (based on book by Thomas Rose)
Distributor: Universal
MPAA Rating: PG for language
Running Time: 107 minutes
Ratings:
Script - 7
Performance - 7
Direction - 7
Cinematography - 8
Music/Sound - 7
Editing - 8
Production - 8
Total - 7.5 out of 10.0
Based on a true story that made big news in the late 80s, Big Miracle chronicles the effort of saving three gray whales near Barrow, Alaska.
When local reporter Adam Carlson (John Krasinski) spots three gray whales trapped in the ice off the shore of Barrow, Alaska, he knows he has a good story; he just doesn't know how good it really is. Soon, the news catches the attention of national media, and a horde of reporters, including Jill (Kristen Bell) from LA, arrive in the small fishing town to either watch the whales being saved or die.
Greenpeace activist Rachel Kramer (Drew Barrymore), who also happens to be Adam's ex, makes it her mission to save the whales. While her aggressive antics can't get her any sympathy, the whales themselves attract the attention of some people with influence. Eventually, her "nemesis," oil tycoon J.W. McGraw (Ted Danson) decides to pitch in (he also realizes it's a great PR opportunity) and lend his hovercraft to the National Guard for the rescue mission. While Col. Scott Boyer (Dermot Mulroney) struggles to carry out the mission against the harsh weather in Alaska, the townsfolk do whatever they can to keep the whales alive.
John Krasinski (Something Borrowed) is the quintessential guy-next-door, and the role of Adam Carlson fits him like a glove. However, aside from being likable and charismatic, the character simply doesn't have much depth; at times he can appear shallow. There's not much Krasinski could do about it. Drew Barrymore (Going the Distance), on the other hand, is fully engaged as the feisty yet vulnerable Greenpeace activist. Through her affecting performance (and on-screen persona), we come to care a lot about her character, her mission, and her conviction. Unfortunately, her chemistry with Krasinski is somewhat lacking for the romantic subplot to work.
The huge cast consists of some familiar faces. Ted Danson (The Open Road), as the ruthless tycoon who has a change of heart, is a welcome part of the ensemble. Believe it or, he brings some needed credibility and gravity to the otherwise young and somewhat "fluffy" cast. As an ambitious reporter, Kristen Bell (Burlesque) does what she does best: being cute and spunky. Surprisingly, she and Krasinski have a much better chemistry and we actually root for them to get it on.
Dermot Mulroney (The Grey) is suitably handsome but grumpy as Col. Boyer, and he shows enough of a sensitive side of the hardcore military man to impress us. The narrator is played by newcomer Ahmaogak Sweeney, whose Eskimo heritage adds to the authenticity of his role. He's not a bad young actor either.
Adapted from Thomas Rose's book, which itself was based on the true events, the screenplay is the product of Jack Amiel (The Shaggy Dog) and Michael Begler (The Shaggy Dog). Neither is stranger to the family movie genre, and it shows. Despite the serious environmental themes and story, the tone of the film is light and fluffy, almost a comedy. The plot unfolds conventionally, introducing us to the myriad of characters and their relationships. Granted, it's rather cliched, and the characters all come across as archetypes. I have to give the writers kudos for keeping the plot streamlined and the characters clear despite the multiple threads and large cast.
Once the story takes off, the plot gets interesting and we can't help but wonder what is going to happen next, and if the whales would survive (if you never knew about the original story). It's then when the story and the characters give us some pleasant surprises. The archetypical characters are not who they seem, after all -- they become more rounded and three-dimensional. And not every this happy and rosy either. There is a dark moment in the story that would most likely make the sentimental ones shed a few tears.
Director Ken Kwapis (He's Just Not That Into You) manages to weave the multiple threads and huge cast of characters into a coherent story. His tone is light in general, with enough heart and emotions to keep us engaged. The characters are all likable -- there is no real villain here (except the harsh weather and ice). The pacing is good. The special effects (especially with the whales) are good, too. If there's a critique, it's that the production has the look and feel of a TV movie.
I'm usually not a big fan of family films about animals. But Big Miracle is a big surprise for me. I enjoy it and come out of the theater feeling good about humanity and the world. If the movie manages to touch one person's heart and change one person's mind, it's already a big win.
Stars: John Krasinski, Drew Barrymore, Ted Danson, Kristen Bell, Dermot Mulroney, Ahmaogak Sweeney
Director: Ken Kwapis
Writers: Jack Amiel, Michael Begler (based on book by Thomas Rose)
Distributor: Universal
MPAA Rating: PG for language
Running Time: 107 minutes
Ratings:
Script - 7
Performance - 7
Direction - 7
Cinematography - 8
Music/Sound - 7
Editing - 8
Production - 8
Total - 7.5 out of 10.0
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