What exactly happened to Will in Iraq or Afghanistan? Why does his PTSD only seem to lead to him wanting to live in the woods? He seems mostly functional aside from that, being a loving and supportive father. How long have they been living in the woods?
Maybe my reaction says more about me than it does about the movie. I went to see it with family members having never heard of it. I saw it had a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and I was sold. The score shouldn't be misinterpreted: it is a percentage of reviews that were more positive than negative, it is NOT saying the movie is X percentage good. Instead, it's the likelihood you will like something more than you dislike it. Since I gave the movie a 6/10, I suppose the RT score didn't let me down. If forced into a thumbs up/down binary choice, I would have to point mine up...
But just barely. I found the movie too slow, and the subject matter handled with an ambiguity that undermined its thematic intentions. Will bore no resemblance to any vets with PTSD that I've ever met (and I've met a few). His condition seems simultaneously exaggerated and downplayed, the way it effects him just didn't ring true for me. I do appreciate seeing a movie attempting to tackle the subject, however.
No fault on the part of the two leads, both of whom are terrific, and mining the most out of underwritten characters. Or the unobtrusive, simple, but lovely cinematography, which brilliantly captures Portland and its surrounding environs.
My weeping family members would probably be aghast that I was so Ho-hum on this one, and I don't expect this review to be popular, but since it is being so well received I felt the need to make a case for its genial mediocrity.
Maybe my reaction says more about me than it does about the movie. I went to see it with family members having never heard of it. I saw it had a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and I was sold. The score shouldn't be misinterpreted: it is a percentage of reviews that were more positive than negative, it is NOT saying the movie is X percentage good. Instead, it's the likelihood you will like something more than you dislike it. Since I gave the movie a 6/10, I suppose the RT score didn't let me down. If forced into a thumbs up/down binary choice, I would have to point mine up...
But just barely. I found the movie too slow, and the subject matter handled with an ambiguity that undermined its thematic intentions. Will bore no resemblance to any vets with PTSD that I've ever met (and I've met a few). His condition seems simultaneously exaggerated and downplayed, the way it effects him just didn't ring true for me. I do appreciate seeing a movie attempting to tackle the subject, however.
No fault on the part of the two leads, both of whom are terrific, and mining the most out of underwritten characters. Or the unobtrusive, simple, but lovely cinematography, which brilliantly captures Portland and its surrounding environs.
My weeping family members would probably be aghast that I was so Ho-hum on this one, and I don't expect this review to be popular, but since it is being so well received I felt the need to make a case for its genial mediocrity.