Saw the previews when it came out and I had absolutely zero interest in seeing it because I thought it was a typical Hallmark lovestruck type movie (yuk)... WRONG! Don't listen to the cold-hearted critics because they're WRONG! I loved the performances, the writing, the locations. I love movies that keep you guessing and go back and forth to cause a little confusion, and then, BAM, it all comes together! I didn't see many of the twists coming and the last moments of Rodrigo with his mother took my breath away. Her words mean so much to me because we are going through that same thing in my own family. See this movie. Take it for what it is and be prepared to feel. We all need to do that once in a while, don't we?
449 Reviews
The unreliable narrator
jaimemedina-3628819 May 2021
Once every 10 years or so a movie like this comes along and reaches into your chest and rips your heart out. It shows it to you - bloody and still beating. It is brutal, relentless, and beautiful, and it is a work of art.
There is so much going on, I honestly don't have to words. Breaking down the narrative would be a crime.
I can only say that it's almost gothic in form. Though sentimental, it's never naive.
I loved every minute of this movie.
There is so much going on, I honestly don't have to words. Breaking down the narrative would be a crime.
I can only say that it's almost gothic in form. Though sentimental, it's never naive.
I loved every minute of this movie.
Much more than what you'd expect
eseptember3 October 2019
At the time when I watched this, the rating was 6.6. I hope it gets higher after people discover more of Dan Fogelman thanks to This Is Us, because this rating is just not fair.
I do not agree with the reviews that say this movie is "This Is Us in 2 hours." Though I do love the show, this movie is something else in itself, and it deserves to be recognized for it.
What it tackles is 'life itself' with all its ups and downs, and believe me, I'm no mushy romance lover. It's far from being sappy, it's so on point, subtle and down-to-earth that I have difficulty defining it as just another romantic movie or a typical drama. There were parts that I literally cried out in awe, covered my eyes in fear, or sat on the edge of my seat like it's one of those almost-frustrating thriller movies that slap you in the face at every turn. Of course it has its bittersweet moments, but I think this movie deserves a chance--and a higher rating--even from the harshest critics and cynics.
I do not agree with the reviews that say this movie is "This Is Us in 2 hours." Though I do love the show, this movie is something else in itself, and it deserves to be recognized for it.
What it tackles is 'life itself' with all its ups and downs, and believe me, I'm no mushy romance lover. It's far from being sappy, it's so on point, subtle and down-to-earth that I have difficulty defining it as just another romantic movie or a typical drama. There were parts that I literally cried out in awe, covered my eyes in fear, or sat on the edge of my seat like it's one of those almost-frustrating thriller movies that slap you in the face at every turn. Of course it has its bittersweet moments, but I think this movie deserves a chance--and a higher rating--even from the harshest critics and cynics.
I know the critics say it's crap. I love a movie filled with emotions. Sue me. I'm an emotional guy.
peterp-450-29871613 March 2019
So, what does that tell us?
That the only truly reliable narrator is life itself.
But life itself is also a completely unreliable narrator
because it is constantly misdirecting and misleading us and taking
us on this journey where it is literally impossible to predict where it's
gonna go next.
Occasionally I come across such a film that knows how to surprise me. At first, I wondered what it was all about. Usually, I take a wait-and-see approach and see where it's going. If there's no improvement in terms of story and it remains quite uninteresting, I'll give up. Fortunately, this rarely happens. And certainly not in the case of "Life itself". As the film progressed, it became (at least for me) more fascinating. Before I knew it, I was looking at the credits with astonishment and I thought to myself: "Wow, what the hell was this". A film that succeeds in making me quiet and paralyzed. That's quite an achievement.
In retrospect, I was somewhat surprised at the negative comments regarding this film. I do understand there are people who are allergic to tragedy, drama, and sadness in films. But the bursts of tirades being fired at this movie, are rather exaggerated in my opinion. Or is it my anarchist nature that is rebelling? Calling "Life itself" the "Worst movie of the year", is a bit shortsighted and slightly simplistic. I suppose those who did, only watched the crème de la crème of films that year. I dare to admit that I've seen much worse last year. Again it looks like a snowball effect after the appearing of some reviews of prominent film critics. And expressions such as "semi-intellectual", "philosophical ramblings" and "overly melodramatic" are copied excessively so that it resembles a we-against-them situation. Or is it an acute case of navel-gazing? Or are they all male critics who, just like Dan Fogelman said in an interview, hate films with emotions? Maybe a defense mechanism so nobody would say that their tough torso contains too many female hormones. Oh well. If you focus on the correctness of timelines and the correct layout of the different time sections only, you may lose sight of the larger picture.
I am convinced that among those notorious critics, there are some who unknowingly believe in certain things that would fit perfectly into the context of this film. Isn't it so that people speak of a soul mate who exists somewhere on this planet? That there's this one special person somewhere who's a good fit for you? And isn't the term karma used all the time? Does coincidence exist? Or coincidentally not? And then the pinnacle of mysterious power that millions believe in. The divine power that watches over us and directs our lives. I bet some of those opinion writers have used these terms before? Or that they want to save their soul every week by solemnly entering a church somewhere? Well, not me. Am I too realistic? Too suspicious? Could be. But I believe that a combination of circumstances and destiny can form the basis of a story such as "Life itself".
Without a doubt, the first chapter is the one with the most impact. A chapter full of confusion, psychological distress, and trauma. But also a chapter about eternal love. Finding that one specific person who fits you unconditionally. Will (Oscar Isaac) and Abby (Olivia Wilde) are such a couple. The living proof of the well-known saying about the pot and the lid. Until one day Abby leaves Will, and Will's life immediately becomes a mess. A ruin that needs to be restored with the help of a psychologist. It's a chapter in which the storyline wraps itself ingeniously around Will's past and present. With and without Abby. With and without the will to live. A chapter full of flashbacks. A chapter introduced by Samuel L. Jackson who represents the "unreliable storyteller". The subject of Abby's thesis. But at the same time, he plays a character from a script that Abby and Will wanted to write together. "A husband and wife Tarantino". That's why Samuel L. Jackson uses his "Pulp Fiction" intonation. And then there are some who claim that his contribution adds little to the story. well, you just have to want to see it, I guess.
The chapter ends shockingly. A blow of a sledgehammer, as it were. And from then on the story begins to spread intercontinental. From the rebellious Dylan (Olivia "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" Cooke), the end result of the wonderful love between Abby and Will, whose life is dominated by death. To Spain, where the rich olive oil manufacturer Mr. Saccione (Antonio Banderas) tells his life story to one of his workers, Javier Gonzalez (Sergio Peris-Mencheta). And although these two different family trees initially have nothing in common with each other, the two storylines melt together in a bewildering manner. But you have to discover for yourself how it all gets connected.
The only flaw I could think of is the predictability at a certain moment. At first, you don't have a clue what's going on. Once you've passed that point, you can already see where it's going. If I were a nitpicker, I would use this to criticize "Life itself" harshly. But the inventive story and the sometimes excellent acting of a group of well-known actors make this a side issue. Perhaps it all seems doom and gloom. As if real life only produces sorrow and misery. Where you experience one setback after the other. Everyone has bad periods in their lives and emotionally difficult experiences. But perhaps the message is also that there is always light at the end of the tunnel. I don't believe in coincidence or destiny. I don't believe in a heavenly power that determines our lives and sets out the route in our lives. But admit it. The way the story developed here could actually also occur in real life. Unfortunately, sometimes life is indeed an unreliable narrator.
Occasionally I come across such a film that knows how to surprise me. At first, I wondered what it was all about. Usually, I take a wait-and-see approach and see where it's going. If there's no improvement in terms of story and it remains quite uninteresting, I'll give up. Fortunately, this rarely happens. And certainly not in the case of "Life itself". As the film progressed, it became (at least for me) more fascinating. Before I knew it, I was looking at the credits with astonishment and I thought to myself: "Wow, what the hell was this". A film that succeeds in making me quiet and paralyzed. That's quite an achievement.
In retrospect, I was somewhat surprised at the negative comments regarding this film. I do understand there are people who are allergic to tragedy, drama, and sadness in films. But the bursts of tirades being fired at this movie, are rather exaggerated in my opinion. Or is it my anarchist nature that is rebelling? Calling "Life itself" the "Worst movie of the year", is a bit shortsighted and slightly simplistic. I suppose those who did, only watched the crème de la crème of films that year. I dare to admit that I've seen much worse last year. Again it looks like a snowball effect after the appearing of some reviews of prominent film critics. And expressions such as "semi-intellectual", "philosophical ramblings" and "overly melodramatic" are copied excessively so that it resembles a we-against-them situation. Or is it an acute case of navel-gazing? Or are they all male critics who, just like Dan Fogelman said in an interview, hate films with emotions? Maybe a defense mechanism so nobody would say that their tough torso contains too many female hormones. Oh well. If you focus on the correctness of timelines and the correct layout of the different time sections only, you may lose sight of the larger picture.
I am convinced that among those notorious critics, there are some who unknowingly believe in certain things that would fit perfectly into the context of this film. Isn't it so that people speak of a soul mate who exists somewhere on this planet? That there's this one special person somewhere who's a good fit for you? And isn't the term karma used all the time? Does coincidence exist? Or coincidentally not? And then the pinnacle of mysterious power that millions believe in. The divine power that watches over us and directs our lives. I bet some of those opinion writers have used these terms before? Or that they want to save their soul every week by solemnly entering a church somewhere? Well, not me. Am I too realistic? Too suspicious? Could be. But I believe that a combination of circumstances and destiny can form the basis of a story such as "Life itself".
Without a doubt, the first chapter is the one with the most impact. A chapter full of confusion, psychological distress, and trauma. But also a chapter about eternal love. Finding that one specific person who fits you unconditionally. Will (Oscar Isaac) and Abby (Olivia Wilde) are such a couple. The living proof of the well-known saying about the pot and the lid. Until one day Abby leaves Will, and Will's life immediately becomes a mess. A ruin that needs to be restored with the help of a psychologist. It's a chapter in which the storyline wraps itself ingeniously around Will's past and present. With and without Abby. With and without the will to live. A chapter full of flashbacks. A chapter introduced by Samuel L. Jackson who represents the "unreliable storyteller". The subject of Abby's thesis. But at the same time, he plays a character from a script that Abby and Will wanted to write together. "A husband and wife Tarantino". That's why Samuel L. Jackson uses his "Pulp Fiction" intonation. And then there are some who claim that his contribution adds little to the story. well, you just have to want to see it, I guess.
The chapter ends shockingly. A blow of a sledgehammer, as it were. And from then on the story begins to spread intercontinental. From the rebellious Dylan (Olivia "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" Cooke), the end result of the wonderful love between Abby and Will, whose life is dominated by death. To Spain, where the rich olive oil manufacturer Mr. Saccione (Antonio Banderas) tells his life story to one of his workers, Javier Gonzalez (Sergio Peris-Mencheta). And although these two different family trees initially have nothing in common with each other, the two storylines melt together in a bewildering manner. But you have to discover for yourself how it all gets connected.
The only flaw I could think of is the predictability at a certain moment. At first, you don't have a clue what's going on. Once you've passed that point, you can already see where it's going. If I were a nitpicker, I would use this to criticize "Life itself" harshly. But the inventive story and the sometimes excellent acting of a group of well-known actors make this a side issue. Perhaps it all seems doom and gloom. As if real life only produces sorrow and misery. Where you experience one setback after the other. Everyone has bad periods in their lives and emotionally difficult experiences. But perhaps the message is also that there is always light at the end of the tunnel. I don't believe in coincidence or destiny. I don't believe in a heavenly power that determines our lives and sets out the route in our lives. But admit it. The way the story developed here could actually also occur in real life. Unfortunately, sometimes life is indeed an unreliable narrator.
Life Itself is about Life.
yada21212 January 2019
Tragedy may knock you down. But you get back up again because all the little parts of all those who came before you are inside of you, urging you to keep going. I have always wondered how people survive the tragedies in their lives. Families with lots of love do it all the time. Even best friends too. Now, I understand how the love and the memories can transcend the tragedies. Take us beyond the tragedies. And why we all must never dishonor those who have touched our hearts by forgetting about them. Because life is never forever. But it's best parts can be passed on to those you love and shared with those who loved you until the day they died. This is the power of this movie.
Best movie of the 23 we saw at TIFF
mamlukman21 September 2018
Warning: Spoilers
We just returned from the Toronto Inter. Film Festival. We saw 23 movies, and my wife and I agree this was the best we saw.
Ignore the critics. They say things like "It's just like X," or "He borrowed this from Y," or "It's too unrealistic." Nonsense. Who cares?
If you are looking for an engrossing story, this is it. The four-segment format is great, because it keeps you wondering "What has this segment got to do with what the previous segment was about?" And you quickly find out. But you never know where it's going--the end is unpredictable, but thoroughly possible.
Granted, there are those who have never run into a coincidence in their lives. I feel sorry for those people. I know in my own life I have been surrounded by coincidences: at a recent conference I idly began chatting to a guy in front of me. We had shared the same thesis advisor! When I lived in Saudi Arabia, who moved in next door? A junior h.s. classmate of my wife's--he had moved away in junior high and she had not heard anything about him until 25 years later he popped up 10,000 miles away as her next door neighbor. Every time we go to Europe we bump into people we know. Coincidences--even extremely improbable ones--are part of life. If you accept this, this is the movie for you.
Great performances by a variety of actors. And the end....everyone in the theater was sniffling, and it wasn't because they had colds. It touched each and every one of us, and in the end, isn't that what a movie should do? I think so.
Ignore the critics. They say things like "It's just like X," or "He borrowed this from Y," or "It's too unrealistic." Nonsense. Who cares?
If you are looking for an engrossing story, this is it. The four-segment format is great, because it keeps you wondering "What has this segment got to do with what the previous segment was about?" And you quickly find out. But you never know where it's going--the end is unpredictable, but thoroughly possible.
Granted, there are those who have never run into a coincidence in their lives. I feel sorry for those people. I know in my own life I have been surrounded by coincidences: at a recent conference I idly began chatting to a guy in front of me. We had shared the same thesis advisor! When I lived in Saudi Arabia, who moved in next door? A junior h.s. classmate of my wife's--he had moved away in junior high and she had not heard anything about him until 25 years later he popped up 10,000 miles away as her next door neighbor. Every time we go to Europe we bump into people we know. Coincidences--even extremely improbable ones--are part of life. If you accept this, this is the movie for you.
Great performances by a variety of actors. And the end....everyone in the theater was sniffling, and it wasn't because they had colds. It touched each and every one of us, and in the end, isn't that what a movie should do? I think so.
Ignore the critics and the soulless...
ari_nelson25 December 2018
...because I'm glad I did!!! For some baffling reason this has low IMDB rating...I almost didn't watch because of this and boy I would've missed out on yet another brilliant Dan Fogelman story. Crazy, stupid love happens to be a go-to movie of mine and This Is Us is one of my favorite tv shows. So my husband and I gave Life Itself a whirl hoping for something similar in style. I'm pretty sure my heart exploded with emotion...in the best possible way. I LOVE movies that make me emotionally vulnerable (like opening montage scene of UP!) and this movie nabbed at every emotion humanly possible in 90 minutes. My combat veteran husband (who keeps his emotions on reserve, mind you) said, and I quote, "Next to A Star Is Born, this is the best movie I've seen all year." On top of that, the acting is superb. Grab some tissues and enjoy.
Beautiful
shailee-7143229 December 2018
I went out of my way today to review a movie. Something I have never done before in my life, but I felt I had to. I saw a review after watching the movie that made me upset. A reviewer said it was sad people called this movie entertainment when they didn't even watch the first five minutes of the movie. I was upset by this because I experienced this movie in a completely different way. This movie does an amazing job of portraying how life is terrible and wonderful and unexpected all at once. It shows how so many lives marked with tragedy can lead to something beautiful. I'm sad for anyone who is too small minded to understand and appreciate what this movie is trying to do. Amazing cast, great director, beautiful camera work and a captivating story. I loved this movie.
An emotional rollercoaster far better than critics suggest
maccas-563675 February 2020
I think your enjoyment of this film depends on how much you have been truly living life. If you have been properly living life, you will have experienced many of the highs and lows depicted here, as well as strange little moments, and the coincidences which make life uniquely ours.
Not really sure why this film was panned so heavily by critics and others, because I loved it. I found it unique and unlike anything I have watched before - despite certain stylistic elements sometimes feeling somewhat familiar. Each performance was strong and the chemistry between actors came across authentic. I believed each character and their emotions - even if there was occasionally an unreliable narrator thrown in Haha
I genuinely found this quite unpredictable and enjoyed trying to figure out how each segment could seemingly tie into the next. Be sure to have a box of tissues on standby, because this is sure to get the waterworks flowing (unless you're a cold-hearted individual). It's certainly on the heavy-side, and veers into being a little emotionally manipulative. Despite that, I still found it enjoyable and was engaged for most of the film.
Well written, philosophical and deep, Life Itself gets you reflecting about your own life and how you came to exist. Given my own recent life events, it was a well-timed watch. It also features the best double-bill of Olivias of all-time!
The Rotten Tomatoes critic score is currently 14% and audience score a whopping 83% - think that says everything. Definitely recommend if you're after an emotional epic about love and life.
Not really sure why this film was panned so heavily by critics and others, because I loved it. I found it unique and unlike anything I have watched before - despite certain stylistic elements sometimes feeling somewhat familiar. Each performance was strong and the chemistry between actors came across authentic. I believed each character and their emotions - even if there was occasionally an unreliable narrator thrown in Haha
I genuinely found this quite unpredictable and enjoyed trying to figure out how each segment could seemingly tie into the next. Be sure to have a box of tissues on standby, because this is sure to get the waterworks flowing (unless you're a cold-hearted individual). It's certainly on the heavy-side, and veers into being a little emotionally manipulative. Despite that, I still found it enjoyable and was engaged for most of the film.
Well written, philosophical and deep, Life Itself gets you reflecting about your own life and how you came to exist. Given my own recent life events, it was a well-timed watch. It also features the best double-bill of Olivias of all-time!
The Rotten Tomatoes critic score is currently 14% and audience score a whopping 83% - think that says everything. Definitely recommend if you're after an emotional epic about love and life.
A Great Dramatic Epic
oobrimah26 December 2018
This movie is a great dramatic epic because the dialogue is great. The 'Book Thief' is a great dramatic epic because of it's excellent character development, essence of a literary novel or movie. 'Life Itself' does not engage in character development, yet you feel endeared to the characters because they somehow are defined by their dialogue. Never seen a movie soften an adverse event as much as this movie does, with outcome you focus on the good that could come out of the adverse event. Don't know why they threw in that 'goddamn' at end of the movie, but I overlooked it and gave it a 10 anyways.
A beautiful intersectional plot
henrycoles923 January 2020
This is one of those movies where things happen to two different families that eventually lead them to run into each other, and frankly this story was a masterpiece of such intersecting plots. They did a great job with the editing and the Spanish sequences starring Antonio Banderas were very endearing and heartwarming. My only complaint is that I wish there was much more of Oscar Isaac and Olivia Wilde. They are both exquisitely well suited to such intricate and touching drama and I am sad I couldn't get enough of them. But, given how wonderfully the movie touched my heart, that wouldn't make a dent in my 10/10 rating.
cross-contient ripple effect
ferguson-621 September 2018
Greetings again from the darkness. The theory is that heavy dramas find it challenging to attract an audience during times when real life and newscasts are filled with daily downers. One need only tune in to the local news to see that we are in just such a "downer" period right now, and it would be difficult to argue that this latest from writer/director Dan Fogelman ("This is Us") is anything but the weightiest of heavy dramas - with an emphasis on the preciousness of time and life.
It's highly likely that this film will fall into the love it or hate it category. It's a sure bet that many critics will bash it as pretentious and overly melodramatic. It will be labeled a manipulative tear-jerker with outlandish coincidences. I won't debate the merits of that criticism, and instead will remind all that creative fictional storytelling can often seem fantastical and improbable, but that doesn't mean it can't also be entertaining, thought-provoking, and carry a worthwhile message.
Because of the overlapping and intertwining stories, characters and timelines, filmmaker Fogelman breaks the film into 5 chapters. This should allow most viewers to keep track. Chapter 1 is entitled "The Hero" and features Samuel L Jackson as the unreliable narrator - a recurring theme throughout. It's also in this chapter that we meet Will and Abby. Will (Oscar Isaac) is an emotionally unstable man who has been in a mental institute for the 6 months since his wife Abby (Olivia Wilde) left him. He is despondent and attending required sessions with a therapist played by Annette Bening, and we get cutesy flashbacks to the Will and Abby courtship. See, Abby and Will are the kind of couple who see themselves as Tarantino characters, argue about the merits of Bob Dylan (poet or Chewbacca noises?), and come up with the worst dog name in cinematic history.
Chapter 2 is where we meet Dylan Dempster, daughter of Will and Abby, and granddaughter of Mandy Patinkin and Jean Smart. She is named after the poet songwriter, not the Star Wars character. There is a cool effect that evolves Dylan's face from a child surrounded by death and tragedy to a just-turned-21 year old played by Olivia Cooke (THOROUGHBREDS), who also happens to front an atrocious punk rock band and flashes quite the temper. Chapter 3 shifts from New York City to Carmona, Spain where we are introduced to "The Gonzalez Family" of Javier (an outstanding Sergio Peris-Mencheta), his wife Isabel (another excellent performance from Laia Costa, VICTORIA), and Javier's boss Saccione (Antonio Banderas). Javier works Saccione's olive orchard, as he and Isabel start a family. Chapter 4 focuses on their son Rodrigo (Alex Monner) as he grows into a talented young man while his beloved mother suffers with a debilitating disease. Finally, in Chapter 5 we meet Elena Dempsey-Gonzalez (Lorenza Izzo) and the story comes full circle ... or all the dots are connected. Even the identity of the narrator who took Samuel L Jackson's place after Chapter 1 is revealed.
Filmmaker Fogelman seems to be better suited as a writer (CRAZY STUPID LOVE) than as a director (DANNY COLLINS), and his script here is extraordinary in its ambition. While there may be some developments that seem contrived, there are also some terrific moments throughout. We see a cross-continent ripple effect that makes this the CRASH of family dramas (the 2004 movie, not the one from 1996). Who is a hero and who is a villain is one of the key elements here, but Fogelman seems intent on making the point that traumatic events and tragedy shape who we are as people. The message is that our ability to bounce back - to "stand up" after being knocked down, is really what defines the human experience. For those who keep an open mind, the emotional jolts provided here will likely resonate.
It's highly likely that this film will fall into the love it or hate it category. It's a sure bet that many critics will bash it as pretentious and overly melodramatic. It will be labeled a manipulative tear-jerker with outlandish coincidences. I won't debate the merits of that criticism, and instead will remind all that creative fictional storytelling can often seem fantastical and improbable, but that doesn't mean it can't also be entertaining, thought-provoking, and carry a worthwhile message.
Because of the overlapping and intertwining stories, characters and timelines, filmmaker Fogelman breaks the film into 5 chapters. This should allow most viewers to keep track. Chapter 1 is entitled "The Hero" and features Samuel L Jackson as the unreliable narrator - a recurring theme throughout. It's also in this chapter that we meet Will and Abby. Will (Oscar Isaac) is an emotionally unstable man who has been in a mental institute for the 6 months since his wife Abby (Olivia Wilde) left him. He is despondent and attending required sessions with a therapist played by Annette Bening, and we get cutesy flashbacks to the Will and Abby courtship. See, Abby and Will are the kind of couple who see themselves as Tarantino characters, argue about the merits of Bob Dylan (poet or Chewbacca noises?), and come up with the worst dog name in cinematic history.
Chapter 2 is where we meet Dylan Dempster, daughter of Will and Abby, and granddaughter of Mandy Patinkin and Jean Smart. She is named after the poet songwriter, not the Star Wars character. There is a cool effect that evolves Dylan's face from a child surrounded by death and tragedy to a just-turned-21 year old played by Olivia Cooke (THOROUGHBREDS), who also happens to front an atrocious punk rock band and flashes quite the temper. Chapter 3 shifts from New York City to Carmona, Spain where we are introduced to "The Gonzalez Family" of Javier (an outstanding Sergio Peris-Mencheta), his wife Isabel (another excellent performance from Laia Costa, VICTORIA), and Javier's boss Saccione (Antonio Banderas). Javier works Saccione's olive orchard, as he and Isabel start a family. Chapter 4 focuses on their son Rodrigo (Alex Monner) as he grows into a talented young man while his beloved mother suffers with a debilitating disease. Finally, in Chapter 5 we meet Elena Dempsey-Gonzalez (Lorenza Izzo) and the story comes full circle ... or all the dots are connected. Even the identity of the narrator who took Samuel L Jackson's place after Chapter 1 is revealed.
Filmmaker Fogelman seems to be better suited as a writer (CRAZY STUPID LOVE) than as a director (DANNY COLLINS), and his script here is extraordinary in its ambition. While there may be some developments that seem contrived, there are also some terrific moments throughout. We see a cross-continent ripple effect that makes this the CRASH of family dramas (the 2004 movie, not the one from 1996). Who is a hero and who is a villain is one of the key elements here, but Fogelman seems intent on making the point that traumatic events and tragedy shape who we are as people. The message is that our ability to bounce back - to "stand up" after being knocked down, is really what defines the human experience. For those who keep an open mind, the emotional jolts provided here will likely resonate.
Beautiful!
pantickatarina3 October 2018
I was apprehensive going to the movies because the movie is neither popular nor well-reviewed. What a surprise! I both laughed and cried in my seat. It has a beautifully written script, the story is original, emotional and immersing. Yes, it is messy at times, but so is life. I loved how it all tied together in the end. I felt that there are many many sentences from that movie that will soon be legendary.
Interesting how much pro critics, users reviews, and IMDB score vary, no?
roxlerookie27 July 2019
Interesting how much "professional" critics, users reviews, and IMDB score vary. That itself tells you there's something special about this movie. I thought it was excellent. It takes you on a fast & violent emotion roller-coaster, and yes, statistically some of the plot is unlikely, but the emotions rung true to me, and I don't care about statistical anomalies if they serve the story. Quite a few reviews compare this to a French movie, though I'm unsure what that means. I'm French, and I'm surely biased, but at least it's not soup: it's drama. The movie clearly offended a lot of people, which is ironic, because that's the point the movie's making: life is fierce, and it's beautiful.
Very emotional but really good
bastos6 October 2020
I'm a bit conflicted about loving this movie unconditionally and being a bit more cynical and focus on some of its shortcomings to not like it. I'm leaning more on the first one due to its fantastic first chapter which I found just incredible in all aspects of filmmaking. From then on, with the exception of the introduction to the Antonio Banderas character which is another highlight, it didn't reach those heights, but that first chapter is really amazing. This is a hard movie to watch, as it is such an emotional roller coaster that by the end you're exhausted, but it is a hell of a ride. The acting is really good from everyone involved and the writing is also top notch. I'll just choose to ignore the sappy ending and some of the weaker storylines and just remember what I loved about this movie making this a bit of an unreliable review.
Best Movie Ever
janix712 January 2019
You Either Get It Or You Don't
Mystic100019 September 2018
No super heroes, no car chases, no revenge , no wild cgi effects, no apocalypse, and no lurking undead.
Just superb layered storytelling, fine acting, and a message about the dilemma and the magnificent potential of human beings (if we choose it).
If that's not a message that interests you, or you have some pre-set bias around the way Fogleman famously evokes emotional themes, then do everyone a favor and don't show up. If, on the other hand, you do not fear your vulnerabilities and can stretch yourself to some artistic license that doesn't involve space ships or old men who bounce off pavement (I'm looking at you Tom, Liam, and Bruce), then I dare say you could really like this movie.
I was lucky to get tickets to an early screening and I look forward to watching the IMDB number on this film go up and up.
C'mon Guys
kryzhan21 September 2018
Beautifully put together film, superb acting, editing. The low reviews are shocking but yet again not. People. Didn't read the book, if there is a book. Don't need to do a mental comparison or have some expectation. Went in blank sheet and wife and daughter came out hugging after all three of us had our moments of reflection and tears during and after the film. You need to savor this film. Of course you'll figure out what you think is going to happen and that's okay. That's life. Life has its patterns and surprise moments that do indeed happen. It could happen and it does happen. Enjoy the film if you are an emotional person, a deeper person. C'est la vie... Just let go and enjoy the film.
It will make you smile while you are crying
franceskamehmeti22 September 2018
Unpredictable, emotional, well- written dialogue, heart felt performances. When I read the bad reviews I was in shock. How can anybody not love this movie ? It touches on the essence of relationships, from the happy moments to the tragic moments. Please ignore the bad reviews and give this movie a chance. It deserves it.
Beautiful Movie
sitaliane15 September 2019
Watch it first... then read why I gave this a 10
gemleighc4 January 2019
Warning: Spoilers
This is my first film review. I never write reviews because I don't really agree with the ones I read. This movie had bad reviews but I knew in my gut I wouldn't agree with them, and I was right!
As I sit in my house in silence, straight after watching Life Itself, I think about my own life. I'm 35 years old and married to my true love who I met only 6 years ago. A few years before that I would pass this house regularly, not knowing the family that lived inside whilst I was in a toxic relationship that would turn into an even more toxic marriage. 7 years ago, on this very day, I left that marrige not knowing that I would end up in that house, loving the man that owned it and the children that eventually would become like my own.
Coincidences happen, even bizzare ones like the one that ends this movie.
Life Itself is a BRILLIANT movie. It moved me to tears. It made me laugh. It entertained me. It broke my heart. It left me with questions. It gave me answers to questions I'd not even asked.
Just like life itself.
One of those 'celebrate life' movies.
SimonD190015 March 2020
Beautiful movie. Amazing script. Sad, but still uplifting. Scripts like these that has story's intertwining with each other, are kind of rare, but they do come about every now and then, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. This is one of the times it works, I think. So, good job on the writer.
Actually can't see any major flaws of this film. Script is good, acting is good, screenplay is good, cinematography is good, music is good. But there must be some flaws? Perhaps that it's all made up? So it doesn't really tell a "true" story of life. But I actually don't see that as a flaw. Perhaps that it doesn't really have any suspense? But still it's very emotionally moving and even if you kind of know were it's going at one point when you get the jest of the movie, still there are interesting details to the story that is thought provoking and interesting to follow, and the actors does a good job. The Spanish actors were really good.
Hmm... Maybe not a full score just beacuse I personally can't help to find movies like this a bit corny, no matter what. But it did manage to move me at the same time. I'm probably just too emotionally blocked for this kind of stuff, I suppose, to a degree. But this movie actually made me cry a bit, and it was probably at least a couple of years ago a movie made me cry, don't really remember, but I watch a lot of movies and I don't cry often, so this movie at least achieved that.
It's actually is nice sometimes, with movies that is very obviously trying to move you, you kind of get surprised when they actually succeeds with it. How corny this movie might be, I can't take away from it that it actually hit me a bit. Have to say this is one of the better movies of this sort, that I have seen. Yes, I would recommend it to anyone that is in to drama or romance (even if it's not really a romantic movie in the classical sense).
Anyway, thanks for reading.
Actually can't see any major flaws of this film. Script is good, acting is good, screenplay is good, cinematography is good, music is good. But there must be some flaws? Perhaps that it's all made up? So it doesn't really tell a "true" story of life. But I actually don't see that as a flaw. Perhaps that it doesn't really have any suspense? But still it's very emotionally moving and even if you kind of know were it's going at one point when you get the jest of the movie, still there are interesting details to the story that is thought provoking and interesting to follow, and the actors does a good job. The Spanish actors were really good.
Hmm... Maybe not a full score just beacuse I personally can't help to find movies like this a bit corny, no matter what. But it did manage to move me at the same time. I'm probably just too emotionally blocked for this kind of stuff, I suppose, to a degree. But this movie actually made me cry a bit, and it was probably at least a couple of years ago a movie made me cry, don't really remember, but I watch a lot of movies and I don't cry often, so this movie at least achieved that.
It's actually is nice sometimes, with movies that is very obviously trying to move you, you kind of get surprised when they actually succeeds with it. How corny this movie might be, I can't take away from it that it actually hit me a bit. Have to say this is one of the better movies of this sort, that I have seen. Yes, I would recommend it to anyone that is in to drama or romance (even if it's not really a romantic movie in the classical sense).
Anyway, thanks for reading.
Truly wonderful movie
RickVee9 December 2019
That professional movie critics critics hated this movie is all the proof you'll ever need to realize how useless, soulless and up their own backsides professional movie critics are. Make no mistake - this is a fantastic film with a lot of heart. The acting is top notch. The songs and score are superb. But the best thing about the movie is how they convey the movie's overall theme/message - that life is unpredictable, often times cruel and sometimes beautiful. They convey that is so many very memorable scenes. Do yourself a favor and sit down in a dark room with a glass of wine and watch this film. By the time the end credits are rolling you will be in a stunned silence at what you just experienced.
Loved it!
toncincin2 July 2020
It takes a while to figure out what's going on (similar to "This is Us."). But I loved the way the stories started intertwining after the first chapter. I wasn't sure about the part of the story in Spain (which is why I gave it a 9 instead of 10) - but it all came into focus in the final chapter. What a magnificent portrayal of how our lives cross - in sad AND happy moments. I will be watching it again.
Boo to those people who hated it!
Boo to those people who hated it!
A Cure for All the Junk Out There
Harry-2224 December 2018
The negative reviewers reminded me of the John Cheever story, The Worm in the Apple. It seemed that each of them was trying to "one-down" the last, suggesting that it was the worst thing since Miracle Whip. Yes, there is a lot of tragedy portrayed, but then again that's life, itself. Well acted, well written, and well directed, forget everything you've read and give it a chance. I didn't feel manipulated, I didn't shed a tear, but I didn't mind being bathed in melancholia for two hours while the pieces of the story came together.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews