I'm not really sure what to think of this movie. I really wanted to love it. On the one hand, it has some great acting and cinematography in it. It looks great, and it is pretty well told from start to finish.
On the other hand, I would say that this movie is way too long and unfocused. It basically consists of two different movies. The first one is more or less like watching a car crash in slow motion. It is a pretty nerve-racking and hard watch, knowing that something bad will eventually happen to one of the characters. It is very well acted, but also extremely depressing and goes on for a bit too long.
Then something happens, and the second phase of the movie begins. The tone of the movie shifts entirely and it moves focus to another character. The pacing becomes even slower, to the point that nothing really happens at all. There are some side plots that doesn't lead anywhere. I guess the main character in this latter half of the movie goes through some emotional journey? Which probably makes sense in the context of the movie, but for me it was frankly a bit boring. Again, all the actors are great, but I'm not really connecting with the movie on a story level at all.
Another weird thing to point out, I felt like there were way to many songs being played in the movie. At some parts of the movie it feels like it basically becomes a playlist, shuffling cool tracks non-stop. Some scenes have characters singing along to the songs being played, digging or dancing, sometimes disrupting the story completely. Towards the end this becomes unbearably cheesy and weird. I'm not sure if the director, editors or other people who worked on the movie just wanted an excuse to play some trendy music?
To summarize, I think this movie was okay. It looks good, the acting is great and it has some powerful scenes in it, but other than that...
On the other hand, I would say that this movie is way too long and unfocused. It basically consists of two different movies. The first one is more or less like watching a car crash in slow motion. It is a pretty nerve-racking and hard watch, knowing that something bad will eventually happen to one of the characters. It is very well acted, but also extremely depressing and goes on for a bit too long.
Then something happens, and the second phase of the movie begins. The tone of the movie shifts entirely and it moves focus to another character. The pacing becomes even slower, to the point that nothing really happens at all. There are some side plots that doesn't lead anywhere. I guess the main character in this latter half of the movie goes through some emotional journey? Which probably makes sense in the context of the movie, but for me it was frankly a bit boring. Again, all the actors are great, but I'm not really connecting with the movie on a story level at all.
Another weird thing to point out, I felt like there were way to many songs being played in the movie. At some parts of the movie it feels like it basically becomes a playlist, shuffling cool tracks non-stop. Some scenes have characters singing along to the songs being played, digging or dancing, sometimes disrupting the story completely. Towards the end this becomes unbearably cheesy and weird. I'm not sure if the director, editors or other people who worked on the movie just wanted an excuse to play some trendy music?
To summarize, I think this movie was okay. It looks good, the acting is great and it has some powerful scenes in it, but other than that...