Smith's career seems to have bifurcated in recent years so dividing his time between comedy action movies and more thoughtful personal pieces. Collateral Beauty is an example of the latter: a modern variation on A Christmas Carol. It's by no-means a perfect film, but as a meditation on grief (especially those who have lost children or are facing death themselves) its heart is very much in the right place. Add in a stellar cast with a number of affecting performances - Smith and Peña especially.
In a defter script writer's hands this would more satisfactorily tied up all of the various strands and story loops. Instead, after some great work by an excellent cast early on - the pay off, especially for Smith's character, felt slightly contrived. Some logic only makes sense in movies - and then only if you are willing to roll with the shared fantasy. I almost was, but choked at both the amnesia and the mean trick at the heart of it all.
Overall, it worked for me because while I don't have direct experience of them - some of the character's situations were very recognisable to me.
Verdict: Hit the spot for me, but YMMV.
No comments:
Post a Comment