10/45
A generational story about families and the special place they live, where they share love, loss, laughter and life. Based on the comic book Here by Richard McGuire. First published as a strip in the comic magazine Raw in 1989, the comic was expanded into a 300-page graphic novel in 2014. Richard’s father names several towns early in the film that he says are on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, when in reality they are towns on Interstate 80 in Pennsylvania, which wasn’t even built yet. [from the trailer] Richard: You know, if you wanted to, you could spend the rest of the night here. Margaret: I could spend the rest of my life here. Includes They Stooge to Conga (1943). Concerto for Clarinet, Pts. 1 and 2Written by Artie ShawPerformed by Artie Shaw and His OrchestraCourtesy of RCA RecordsIn arrangement with Sony Music Entertainment. LIKED:Good actingRealistic about many facets of lifeDynamic use of set/settingCreative transitionsRejuvenating technologyAt times intriguing connectionsI liked the artistic angle at timesRelevant/RelatableEmotionalSummary: The advertisements for the film didn’t lie to you. Here is a film that is truly one of the most unique concepts we’ve seen in a long time. The film relies on enjoying the fixation on a single camera/location, telling a story about the effects of time on life and the people who move through it. Zemeckis accomplished this task on many levels, managing to use space well and keep the shot dynamic despite its static nature. Dynamic scene changes make this piece intriguing, with the idea that furniture changes are an impressive feature of the home itself serving as a metaphorical window into life. I loved seeing this space inhabited and seeing the families that called the mansion home, how their interactions, auras and personalities cast the scene in a different light and told their own micro-stories. Transitions were done via outlines of photos that drew attention before moving into a new scene. The technique is smooth and rarely over the top for me. There were many creative facets but never lost the anchor to realism to make this a beautiful, balanced piece. As for the story and acting, an A-list of talent helped bring this film to life and achieve the goal of taking a look at life. This is a film that relies heavily on being relevant and on the cast to bring that relevance to life. Story-wise, it rarely strays from people living their lives, but instead takes snippets from different eras and reflects them in time. The highs and lows are captured beautifully on screen, and Zemeckis’ vision helps convey the concepts and hit you with the emotional force this film promises. As the relevant stories hit me, it only further strengthened my connection to the film, and I found myself thinking about what this film was trying to teach me. The acting puts words to the visions, with much of the dialogue being poetic without being too Shakespearean. Bettany was a surprise, and while not quite as engaging or dynamic as his Disney films, he still impresses me with a stellar portrayal of the baby boomer generation facing the rapid changes in the world. Wright’s return to the screen is wild, as her character is torn between fun and frenzy, a brilliant portrayal of the struggles so many in her place went through during the great decades of change. Hanks, of course, is just as talented as ever, incorporating elements of his other characters into every moment of his life and doing so with the same class and energy he almost always brings to the screen. It’s a chemistry that works, that familial atmosphere seems so natural and almost authentic, with strong lead actors guiding the characters and never falling too far into Hollywood portrayals.
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