El abrazo de la serpiente (2015)

Slo naslov: Kačji objem 

Drugi naslovi: Embrace of the Serpent

Država: Kolumbija, Venezuela, Argentina

Leto: 2015

Dolžina: 125',  Imdb

Žanri: Avantura, Biografija, Drama  

Slo recenzija: Koridor

Režija: Ciro Guerra

Scenarij: Ciro Guerra, Jacques Toulemonde Vidal

Igrajo: Nilbio Torres, Jan Bijvoet, Antonio Bolivar, Yauenkü Miguee, Brionne Davis 

[SLO]

Via Kinodvor

Evropska znanstvenika že štirideset let potujeta po amazonskem pragozdu v iskanju svete rastline, ki bi ju lahko ozdravila. Tam naletita na Karamakateja, amazonskega šamana, zadnjega preživelega predstavnika svojega ljudstva. Iz tega odnosa se splete epska pripoved o zbliževanju, izdaji ter postopoma tudi o neomajnem prijateljstvu med šamanom in raziskovalcema. Navdih za film so bili dnevniki prvih raziskovalcev kolumbijske Amazonije, Theodorja Koch-Grunberga in Richarda Evansa Schultesa.

Nepričakovano prijateljstvo med amazonskim šamanom in evropskima raziskovalcema v najbolj odročnih kotičkih kolumbijskega pragozda.

Potovanja vetra je bil zelo oseben film o osebnih vprašanjih – družini, kulturi, identiteti. Za naslednji projekt sem se želel odpraviti na potovanje v neznano! Kolumbijcu ni nič bolj neznanega kot Amazonija – prekriva polovico države, vendar o njej vemo le malo. Želel sem spoznavati nove zamisli. V tem procesu sem odkril dnevnike prvih raziskovalcev kolumbijske Amazonije, ki so me popolnoma prevzeli in mi ponudili zgodbo, iz katere sem izhajal. (Ciro Guerra)

[ENG]

At once blistering and poetic, the ravages of colonialism cast a dark shadow over the South American landscape in EMBRACE OF THE SERPENT, the third feature by Ciro Guerra. Filmed in stunning black-and-white, SERPENT centers on Karamakate, an Amazonian shaman and the last survivor of his people, and the two scientists who, over the course of 40 years, build a friendship with him. The film was inspired by the real-life journals of two explorers (Theodor Koch-Grünberg and Richard Evans Schultes) who traveled through the Colombian Amazon during the last century in search of the sacred and difficult-to-find psychedelic Yakruna plant.

[RT Critics Consensus]

As rich visually as it is thematically, Embrace of the Serpent offers a feast of the senses for film fans seeking a dose of bracing originality.

Ocena

Everybody Wants Some!! (2016)

Slo naslov: Ta nora 80a

Država: ZDA

Leto: 2016

Dolžina: 117' ,  Imdb

Žanri: Komedija 

Slo recenzija: RTV SLO MMC, Mladina, ARS, FilmFlow

Režija: Richard Linklater

Scenarij: Richard Linklater

Igrajo: Blake Jenner, Tyler Hoechlin, Glen Powell, Ryan Guzman, Wyatt Russell, J. Quinton Johnson, Zoey Deutch, Temple Baker, Austin Amelio, Will Brittain

[SLO]

Via Kinodvor

V univerzitetnem kampusu nekje v Teksasu v zgodnjih osemdesetih letih spremljamo člane fakultetnega baseball moštva, glavne frajerje na faksu, medtem ko krmarijo med svobodo in odgovornostmi, ki jih prinaša porajajoča se odraslost. Toda do začetka novega študijskega leta manjkajo še trije dnevi in pol. Zdaj je čas za minljive radosti študentskih let, čas za popivanje, veseljačenje in razuzdane bakanalije.

Žurerska komedija z malo baseballa in veliko piva v režiji ameriškega kronista čudovite vsakdanjosti se začne tam, kjer so se sklenila Fantovska leta. Toda hkrati so Ta nora 80a »duhovno nadaljevanje« Linklaterjeve kultne klasike Zadeti in zmedeni (1993), ki zamenja sedemdeseta za osemdeseta in srednješolsko negotovost za bežen, a slasten občutek nepremagljivosti, ki zaznamuje zgodnja študijska leta.

Ker se večina mojih filmov odvija v omejenem časovnem okviru, se je zelo lahko vračati k likom. To bi lahko počel tako rekoč z vsem, kar sem kdaj posnel. In tudi sicer to velja za mnogo filmov. Vprašanje je le, zakaj to početi. Kakšno zgodbo lahko poveš o teh ljudeh, da bo dovolj zanimiva in ne bo zgolj tržni trik? Ta film je moj najboljši približek nadaljevanja [filma Zadeti in zmedeni]. In ker gre hkrati za nekakšno nadaljevanje Fantovskih let, se sprašujem, ali lahko en film predstavlja dve stvari hkrati, ali je lahko nadaljevanje dveh različnih filmov? Zame je postal predvsem avtobiografska pripoved o tistem trenutku, ko odideš na faks. /…/ Med snemanjem zadnjega prizora Fantovskih let sem igralcem razlagal, da imam zamisel za film, ki se začne natanko v trenutku, ko protagonisti odidejo študirat, in takrat sem upal, da bom lahko film tudi posnel. Zanimivo je, da brez Fantovskih let tega filma najbrž ne bi bilo. Med njima obstaja vez, ki je skoraj tako močna kot povezava s filmom Zadeti in zmedeni. Porajati sta se začela v istem času. Ta nora 80a sem imel v mislih od začetka novega tisočletja; v istem obdobju, ko sem snemal Fantovska leta, sem tudi pisal in predeloval ta film. Hecno je, da si na koncu natanko sledita, kot bi bil drugi nadaljevanje prvega. Ellar iz Fantovskih let predstavlja boljšo plat mojega značaja, Jake pa je tisti bolj veseljaški, ekstrovertiran, zabaven tip. /…/ Ta film bi ne mogel biti bolj neodvisen, pa vendar gre za Paramount! Pri tem, kdo film financira in kakšen je dogovor, ne delam razlik. Bistveno je, kaj potrebuje zgodba, kakšen je obseg in kakšen hoče film postati. Izogniti se težavam, namesto da bi jih iskal, to je moje vodilo. (Richard Linklater)

[ENG]

In the summer of 1980, freshman pitcher Jake moves into an old college house with his new rowdy teammates. Together, they must navigate their way between girls, parties and baseball, all in the last weekend before school begins. From writer and director Richard Linklater (Boyhood, Dazed and Confused) comes the movie that’s “ridiculously fun”* and proves that good times never get old.

[RT Critics Consensus]

Nostalgic in the best sense, Everybody Wants Some!! finds Richard Linklater ambling through the past with a talented cast, a sweetly meandering story, and a killer classic rock soundtrack.

Ocena

Sing Street (2016)

Slo naslov: - 

Država: Irska, VB, ZDA 

Leto: 2016

Dolžina: 106' ,  Imdb

Žanri: Komedija, Drama, Glasba 

Slo recenzija: -

Režija: John Carney

Scenarij: John Carney

Igrajo: Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Lucy Boynton, Jack Reynor, Aidan Gillen, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Mark McKenna, Kelly Thornton, Ian Kenny, Ben Carolan

[SLO]

Glasbeni film Sing Street pripoveduje zgodbo petnajstletnega Conorja (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo), ki živi na Irskem v 80. letih 20. stoletja. Starša ga zaradi finančnih težav prepišeta iz zasebne šole na javno. Tako se mora deček prilagoditi na novo okolje, hkrati pa se sooča z morebitnim razpadom svoje družine. Kmalu se zaljubi v nekaj let starejšo Raphino (Lucy Boynton), in da bi nanjo naredil vtis, s pomočjo novih sošolcev sestavi glasbeno skupino. [Cinemania group]

[ENG]

In 1980s Dublin, 14-year-old Conor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) is looking for a break from a home strained by his parents’ relationship and money troubles, while trying to adjust to his new inner-city public school where the kids are rough and the teachers are rougher. He finds a glimmer of hope in the mysterious, über-cool and beautiful Raphina (Lucy Boynton), and with the aim of winning her heart he invites her to star in his band’s music videos. There’s only one problem: he’s not part of a band…yet. She agrees, and now Conor must deliver what he’s promised - calling himself “Cosmo” and immersing himself in the vibrant rock music trends of the decade, he forms a band with a few lads, and the group pours their heart into writing lyrics and shooting videos. [TWC]

*************

He’s no Vincente Minnelli in the visual storytelling department, but no 21st-century filmmaker has a more intuitive understanding of movie-musical construction than Irishman John Carney. After “Once” and “Begin Again” both beautifully unpacked the narrative nature of the songwriting process, he’s back at it with an added dose of 1980s childhood nostalgia in “Sing Street,” a heart-melting adolescent romance that gives teenage garage bands everywhere a better name. Perched on a tricky precipice between chippy kitchen-sink realism and lush wish-fulfilment fantasy, this mini-“Commitments” gets away with even its cutesiest indulgences thanks to a wholly lovable ensemble of young Irish talent and the tightest pop tunes — riffing on Duran Duran and the Cure with equal abandon and affection — any gaggle of Catholic schoolboys could hope to write themselves. Given the right marketing and word of mouth, this Weinstein Co. release could “Sing” a song of far more than sixpence. (Guy Lodge, Variety)

[RT Critics Consensus]

Sing Street is a feel-good musical with huge heart and irresistible optimism, and its charmimg cast and hummable tunes help to elevate its familiar plotting.

Ocena

The Affair (2014– ) (Season 1)

Slo naslov: Afera 

Država: ZDA

Leto: 2014

Dolžina: 10 x 50'- 60',  Imdb

Žanri: Drama 

Več o seriji: MMC RTV SLO

Avtor: Sarah Treem, Hagai Levi

Igrajo: Dominic West, Ruth Wilson, Maura Tierney, Joshua Jackson, Julia Goldani Telles, Victor Williams, Jake Siciliano

[SLO]

Via Pickbox

Provokativna drama o čustvenih posledicah zunajzakonskega razmerja, prikazana z dveh različnih perspektiv, njegove in njene, onadva pa sta Noah in Alison. Noah je pisatelj in predava na newyorški šoli, s Helen je poročen že več kot 17 let in prišel je na otok, kjer naj bi poletje preživel na posestvu Helenine družine. Tam spozna Alison, mlado natakarico, ki so bori z vsakodnevnim življenjem, nič kaj lažje pa ji ni v zakonu s Colom, ki se trudi obdržati družinski ranč. Noah in Alison začneta zvezo, ki bo spremenila življenja vseh vpletenih.

[ENG]

At once deeply observed and intriguingly elusive, The Affair explores the emotional effects of an extramarital relationship. Noah is a New York City schoolteacher and budding novelist with a wife of twenty years and four children. Alison is a young waitress and wife from Montauk at the end of Long Island, trying to piece her life back together in the wake of a tragedy. The provocative drama unfolds separately from multiple perspectives, using the distinct memory biases of each character to tell the story.

[RT Critics Consensus]

Thanks to some smart, creative storytelling and spectacular performances, The Affair is a somber, bewitching exploration of truth and desire.

Ocena

Hardcore Henry (2015)

Slo naslov: Ponoreli Henry  

Država: Rusija, ZDA

Leto: 2016

Dolžina: 96' ,  Imdb

Žanri: Akcija, Avantura, ZF  

Slo recenzija: RTV SLO MMC, Mladina, Deseta umetnost, Filmstart

Režija: Ilya Naishuller

Scenarij: Ilya Naishuller, Will Stewart

Igrajo: Sharlto Copley, Tim Roth, Haley Bennett

[SLO]

Via Cineplexx

Ko se film začne, se ne boste spomnili prav ničesar. Predvsem zato, ker vas je ravnokar od mrtvih obudila vaša soproga (Haley Bennett). Pove vam, da vam je ime Henry. Pet minut pozneje na vas streljajo, vašo ženo pa ugrabijo, in po vsej verjetnosti bi jo morali iti rešit. Kdo jo je ugrabil? Ime mu je Akan (Danila Kozlovsky), mogočen mafijec je s celo vojsko plačancev, in namenil se je prevzeti nadzor nad vsem svetom. Poleg tega se potikate v povsem neznanem mestu – v Moskvi – in vsi bi radi, da bi bili mrtvi. Vsi razen skrivnostnega britanskega možakarja po imenu Jimmy (Sharlto Copley)… ki je morda na vaši strani, ampak prepričani pa tudi niste. 

Če preživite vso to norost in razrešite skrivnost, se vam morda še posveti, za kaj ste na tem svetu in kdo v resnici ste. Vso srečo, Henry. Potrebovali jo boste… 

[ENG]

Strap in. Hardcore Henry is one of the most unflinchingly original wild-rides to hit the big screen in a long time: You remember nothing. Mainly because you've just been brought back from the dead by your wife (Haley Bennett). She tells you that your name is Henry. Five minutes later, you are being shot at, your wife has been kidnapped, and you should probably go get her back. Who's got her? His name's Akan (Danila Kozlovsky); he's a powerful warlord with an army of mercenaries, and a plan for world domination. You're also in an unfamiliar city of Moscow, and everyone wants you dead. Everyone except for a mysterious British fellow called Jimmy (Sharlto Copley.) He may be on your side, but you aren't sure. If you can survive the insanity, and solve the mystery, you might just discover your purpose and the truth behind your identity. Good luck, Henry. You're likely going to need it...

[RT Critics Consensus]

Hardcore Henry seems poised to reinvent the action flick, but without a story or characters worth caring about, its first-person gimmick quickly loses its thrill.

Ocena

Shan he gu ren (2015)

Slo naslov: - 

Drugi naslovi: Mountains May Depart

Država: Kitajska, Francija

Leto: 2015 

Dolžina: 131' ,  Imdb

Žanri: Drama, Romantični   

Slo recenzija: -

Režija: Zhangke Jia

Scenarij: Zhangke Jia

Igrajo: Zhao Tao, Zhang Yi, Liang Jin Dong, Dong Zijian, Sylvia Chang, Han Sanming

[ENG]

At once an intimate drama and a decades-spanning epic that leaps from the recent past to the present to the speculative near-future, Jia Zhangke's new film is an intensely moving study of how China's economic boom and the culture of materialism it has spawned has affected the bonds of family, tradition, and love. [Kino Lorber] 

*************

The cinema’s consummate chronicler of a China evolving so rapidly that its own citizens can scarcely keep apace, Jia Zhangke strikes a particularly melancholic chord in “Mountains May Depart,” a polymorphous snapshot of 21st-century capitalism and its discontents that also finds the filmmaker, like several of his characters, venturing for the first time outside of his home turf and mother tongue. Following a single family as it is tossed about by time, tide and the onward march of progress over the span of a quarter-century, Jia’s latest feature addresses a host of pet themes through a less quirky, stylized lens than 2013’s gruesomely violent “A Touch of Sin” or 2006’s “Still Life” (with its condemned buildings blasting off like rocket ships). But if “Mountains” feels a touch schematic at times, and awkward in its third-act English-language scenes, the cumulative impact is still enormously touching, highlighted by Jia’s rapturous image-making and a luminous central performance by the director’s regular muse (and wife), Zhao Tao. International exposure should run high, while the film will encounter less opposition than “Sin” from the local Chinese censors. (Scott Foundas, Variety)

[RT Critics Consensus]

Beautifully filmed, powerfully acted, and rich with meaning, Mountains May Depart represents another outstanding outing from writer/director Zhangke Jia.

Ocena

The Legend of Barney Thomson (2015)

Slo naslov: - 

Država: VB, Kanada, ZDA

Leto: 2015

Dolžina: 96',  Imdb

Žanri: Komedija, Krimi   

Slo recenzija: -

Režija: Robert Carlyle

Scenarij: Richard Cowan, Richard Cowan

Igrajo: Robert Carlyle, Emma Thompson, Ray Winstone, Ashley Jensen, Tom Courtenay, Martin Compston, James Cosmo, Kevin Guthrie

[ENG]

Barney is a hapless barber, devoid of charm and 'patter' as his fellow barbering brethren mockingly remind him. Barney's mediocre, mundane life of plotting for a way up is about to be transformed, following a typically incompetent fit of pique, when he inadvertently stumbles into serial murder, and with it headlong into the trail of a grotesque series of killings gripping Glasgow. As he makes ham-fisted attempts to cover his tracks, he finds himself on the run from the bearish Detective Inspector Holdall and a testosterone-driven local Police task force at each others throats over the ongoing crimes. With his sanity threatening to unravel, Barney fatefully turns to his domineering, emasculating mother, the formidable Glaswegian 'good-time girl', Cemolina. There's no turning back now and the path that lies ahead for Barney may yet be littered with more murderous consequences than he could have ever anticipated.

************************

The title may be “The Legend of Barney Thomson,” but it’s the protagonist’s near-namesake, Emma Thompson, who earns all the glory in Scottish star Robert Carlyle’s amiably uneven directorial debut. Drawn from the off-kilter comic novels of Douglas Lindsay, this grisly farce finds the helmer giving himself a generous showcase as the eponymous chump, a socially inept barber who quite accidentally becomes a modern-day Sweeney Todd. Still, it’s Thompson’s frayed, frightening turn as his unexpectedly devious mother that gives a salty kick to an otherwise minor diversion, in which simple twists of fate are as thickly matted as the characters’ Glaswegian brogues. A crowd-pleasing curtain-raiser for this year’s Edinburgh fest, “Barney Thomson” is unlikely to secure legendary status beyond Caledonia, but ancillary prospects are solid enough. 
(Guy Lodge, Variety)

[RT Critics Consensus]

The Legend of Barney Thomson may not quite live up to its grandiose title, but it offers a fine calling card for debuting director Carlyle, and Emma Thompson's performance adds a spark.

Ocena

Hush (2016)

Slo naslov: - 

Država: ZDA

Leto: 2016

Dolžina: 81',  Imdb

Žanri: Grozljivka, Triler   

Slo recenzija: Filmoljub

Režija: Mike Flanagan

Scenarij: Mike Flanagan, Kate Siegel

Igrajo: Kate Siegel, John Gallagher Jr., Michael Trucco, Samantha Sloyan

[SLO]

...mlada pisateljica Maddie (soscenaristka Kate Siegel), ki v odmaknjeni koči sredi gozdne idile sama išče navdih za dokončanje svojega najnovejšega kriminalnega romana (pri tem koleba med kar sedmimi mogočimi epilogi), je zaradi prebolelega meningitisa v rani puberteti namreč trajno gluhonema. Ne sliši, kaj se dogaja okrog nje, in se mora za vsakdanje udobje zanašati na lastno iznajdljivost, občutek prostora in nekatere sodobne pripomočke. (Koncept prikliče v spomin sijajni psihotriler Wait Until Dark iz leta 1967 s slepo junakinjo Audrey Hepburn.) Morilski psihopat (John Gallagher Jr. v zase neznačilni vlogi), ki začne oblegati hišo, je zato v bistveni prednosti; vendar je moški z lovskim samostrelom ne bo kar naravnost ubil, temveč se bo z njo sprva poigral kot mačka z mišjo. (Filmoljub)

[ENG]

In this heart-pounding thriller from acclaimed writer and director Mike Flanagan (Oculus, Before I Wake), silence takes on a terrifying new dimension for a young woman living along in the woods. Author Maddie Young (Kate Siegel) lives a life of utter isolation after losing her hearing as a teenager. She's retreated form society, living in seclusion and existing in a completely silent world. But one night, the fragile world is shattered when the masked face of a psychotic killer appears in her window. Without another living soul for miles, and with no way to call for help, it appears that Maddie is at the killer's mercy... but he may have underestimated his prey. As this horrifying game of cat and mouse escalates to a breathless fever- pitch, Maddie must push herself beyond her mental and physical limits in order to survive the night.

************************

Once the premise kicks into high gear, "Hush" reveals itself as a finely craved one-trick pony. Maddie’s situation doesn’t differ from countless other "final girl" scenarios, and while Gallagher Jr. has fun playing the smarmy murderer eager to toy with his would-be victim, his character barely gets defined enough to register as much more than the market standard for this kind of threat. Still, the real appeal of "Hush" stems from Flanagan’s ability to hover in Maddie’s urgent mindset, and as long as he does that the movie delivers. The expert use of sound design, fused with the Newton Brothers’ energetic score, creates a constant sense of urgency to each scene as it keeps moving forward. The liberal use of bloodshed maintains an enveloping air of danger right down to the tense finale, even if the specific outcome doesn’t offer a lot of new material. (Eric Kohn, IndieWIRE)

Ocena

Belye nochi pochtalona Alekseya Tryapitsyna (2014)

Slo naslov: Poštarjeve bele noči

Drugi naslovi: The Postman's White Nights

Država: Rusija

Leto: 2014

Dolžina: 101',  Imdb

Žanri: Drama  

Slo recenzija: Mladina, RTV SLO MMC, MAF

Režija: Andrey Končalovski

Scenarij: Andrej Končalovski, Jelena Kiseljova

Igrajo:  Aleksej Trjapicin, Irina Jermolova, Timur Bondarenko, Viktor Kolobkov, Viktor Berezin, Tatjana Silič, Irina Silič, Jurij Panfilov

[SLO]

Via Kinodvor

Prebivalci odročnih vasic ob orjaškem jezeru Kenozero na ruskem severu živijo tako, kot so stoletja živeli njihovi predniki: v majhnih skupnostih, kjer se vsi poznajo in proizvajajo le tisto, kar za življenje neizbežno potrebujejo. Njihova edina vez z zunanjim svetom je podeželski poštar Aleksej Trjapicin, ki z malim motornim čolnom premošča prepad med industrijskim, urbanim svetom in svetom magične folklore, naravne idile, a tudi osame in brezdelja. Ko mu nekdo ukrade motor čolna in se ženska, ki jo na skrivnem ljubi, odseli v mesto, se tudi poštar, željan pustolovščine, poda na pot samospoznanja.

Skozi oči resničnega podeželskega poštarja se odvije zgodba o pozabljeni skupnosti in izginjajočem načinu življenja v ruralnih zakotjih ruskega severa. Presunljiva, umirjena in nežno humorna mešanica dokumentarca in fikcije je veteranskemu režiserju Andreju Končalovskemu prinesla beneškega leva za najboljšo režijo.

Iz prve roke

Zadnja leta se mi zdi, da skuša sodobni film gledalcu prihraniti še tako neznaten napor, ki ga zahteva kontemplacija. Že nekaj let me muči občutek negotovosti, ali zares razumem, kaj je bistvo filma. Pričujoči film predstavlja moj poskus, da bi odkril nove možnosti, ki jih nudijo gibljive slike, pospremljene z zvokom. Poskus, da bi videl svet, ki nas obdaja, skozi oči 'novorojenčka'. Poskus opazovati življenje brez vsakršne naglice. Kontemplacija je stanje, v katerem se človek dodobra zaveda svoje enosti z vesoljem. Morda je ta film moj poskus, da bi izostril svoj sluh in poskusil prisluhniti tihemu šepetu tega vesolja. /…/ Pograbil sem kamero in se odpravil na sever, proč od Moskve, da bi opazoval ljudi in jih bolje spoznal. V oči nam je padel neki mož, pa smo pristopili k njemu in se predstavili. Naš protagonist živi v pokrajini Arhangelsk in dela kot vaški poštar. In kot poštar predstavlja edino vez vaščanov z zunanjim svetom. Temu prinese penzijo, onemu hlebec kruha, tretjemu pismo ali novo žarnico. Pobližje sem si želel ogledati njegovo življenje in življenja ljudi, s katerimi prihaja v stik. Filmu pravim umirjena študija življenja, biografija, poskus, da bi razumeli svet. Resnici na ljubo je zgodba precej enostavna, a kot pravijo, dolgočasnih zgodb ni, so samo dolgočasni pripovedovalci.

- Andrej Končalovski, režiser in soscenarist

[ENG]

The film represents life in a godforsaken Russian village. The only way to reach the mainland is to cross the lake by boat and a postman became the only connection with the outside world. A reserved community has been set up here. Despite the modern technologies and a spaceport nearby the people of the village live the way they would in the Neolithic Era. There is neither government nor social services or jobs. The postman's beloved woman escapes the village life and moves to the city. Postman's outboard engine gets stolen and he can no longer deliver mail. His normal pattern of life is disrupted. The postman makes a decision to leave for the city too but returns before long with no certain reason. The script is based on real characters' stories. People from the village play their own parts in the film. The search for the protagonist lasted for over a year. 

Written by Production Center of Andrei Konchalovsky

Ocena

Demolition (2015)

Slo naslov: - 

Država: ZDA

Leto: 2015

Dolžina: 101' ,  Imdb

Žanri: Drama, Komedija   

Slo recenzija: -

Režija: Jean-Marc Vallée

Scenarij: Bryan Sipe

Igrajo: Jake Gyllenhaal, Naomi Watts, Chris Cooper, Judah Lewis, C.J. Wilson, Polly Draper, Malachy Cleary

[ENG]

Davis (Jake Gyllenhaal), a successful investment banker, struggles after losing his wife in a tragic car crash. Despite pressure from his father-in-law, Phil (Chris Cooper), to pull it together, Davis continues to unravel. What starts as a complaint letter to a vending machine company turns into a series of letters revealing startling personal admissions. Davis' letters catch the attention of customer service rep, Karen (Naomi Watts), and, amidst emotional and financial burdens of her own, the two form an unlikely connection. With the help of Karen and her son Chris (Judah Lewis), Davis starts to rebuild, beginning with the demolition of the life he once knew. Written by Fox Searchlight

*****************************

In order to make sense of his life, a white-collar widower decides he has to tear it all down in “Demolition,” dismantling appliances, smashing furniture and even going so far as to bulldoze his own house in search of a catharsis that never comes. It all could have gone horribly awry, were it not for the top-of-their-game contributions of leading man Jake Gyllenhaal (continuing in recent-streak crazy mode) and director Jean-Marc Vallee (back in early-career “C.R.A.Z.Y.” mode), whose unexpected creative choices across the line salvage a sledgehammer-obvious screenplay that will stop at nothing to provoke a reaction. Though dated to open after the Oscar dust has settled with an April 8 release, Fox Searchlight might rethink that strategy if reactions to this alternately tough and ingratiating Toronto opener are strong enough. (Peter Debruge, Variety)

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