... and decide what it wants to be.
It could have been a courtroom drama. The scenes between Downey and Thornton are the best in the piece. But it is not.
It could have been a love story. Farmiga puts herself out there like no character in recent memory. But it is not.
It could have been about family, but the fact is that the script and direction don't allow the audience to bond with EITHER Downey OR Duvall. Astonishingly, both remain "uncomfortable" characters right to the end.
Duvall is not merely an actor, he is iconic. I recall seeing him do bit parts in the early 60s on TV. Like Anthony Quinn, he has become part of the medium.
Wanted to like this film, but the overlong script and waffly directing made that impossible. Especially since I had seen Saint Vincent the day before (see my review) and THAT film succeeds effortlessly at becoming real entertainment, where this one does not.
It could have been a courtroom drama. The scenes between Downey and Thornton are the best in the piece. But it is not.
It could have been a love story. Farmiga puts herself out there like no character in recent memory. But it is not.
It could have been about family, but the fact is that the script and direction don't allow the audience to bond with EITHER Downey OR Duvall. Astonishingly, both remain "uncomfortable" characters right to the end.
Duvall is not merely an actor, he is iconic. I recall seeing him do bit parts in the early 60s on TV. Like Anthony Quinn, he has become part of the medium.
Wanted to like this film, but the overlong script and waffly directing made that impossible. Especially since I had seen Saint Vincent the day before (see my review) and THAT film succeeds effortlessly at becoming real entertainment, where this one does not.