By Magdaleen Duvenage
Release Date: Released
Directed by Allen Coulter.
Written by Will Fetters.
Produced by Nicholas Osborne, Trevor Engelson.
Cast: Robert Pattinson, Emilie de Ravin, Chris Cooper, Lena Olin, Tate Ellington, Ruby Jerins & Pierce Brosnan.
Genre: Drama, Romance.
Classification: PG-13 VL
Running time: 128 Minutes
Well, well, well – what do we have here, could it be Mr. Pattinson, at his best? That is the question... An overnight sensation because of the Fantasy Drama Twilight, Pattinson seems to grow at a seemingly fast rate, not only as a actor but also as a man. This, however, is troublesome: the increase of stardom has been doomed before and often results in a horrible collapse. But let's get back to the movie...
Tyler (Robert Pattinson) is a young man in New York, seemingly troubled, who goes through the stages of rebellion. The movie starts with his worst possible stage – portraying him as violent and vicious. Isn't that lovely! Pattinson off-course, never seizes to amaze me: young, vicious, rebellious, troubling but still so very mysterious. There is almost something good about him, like a drug: you know it's bad but yet you still can't seem to get enough of it! He comes from a broken family – hence all his problems and it seems that all the souls he attracts is also quite saddened. He has a very bad relationship with his father (Pierce Brosnan) but like all boys, although they hate their fathers they all desperately seek their approval in one way or another.
Tyler meets Ally (Emilie de Ravin), who also has a heart breaking story to tell and they fall madly in love. Her father's (Chris Cooper) behaviour – because of his own broken heart – forces her closer into Tyler's arms. It is with him that she seeks refuge and strength. The sad part about the movie is that Tyler cant give her something, he himself does not possess. There is alas, a difference between brute force and strength. This young couple finds out that there is much more to life and love than the obvious appearances.
In their own way they had to become whole, as individual people, to truly love each other. That kind of love is strong and true – it can stand through the toughest winds and the darkest nights. One can only truly give it if one is able to have it. I did not see it in this movie though, of all the things Coulter did, this was the worst mistake. Sure, he seemed more “happy”, with a few more smile's and so ons, but with a talented actor like Pattinson, he could have showed the healing much more significantly. Which brings me to another point: Was he truly healed? They were both young, they found what they thought is love, but is in truth only a expression of love. Making love is the act of the feeling. What is sad about this statement is that it rarely shows the expression which is love. I guess you get a chicken/egg situation. I would love to see a movie where the actual act is shown! A movie were the expression was not sex and where a director could capture the actual event without showing that the perfect love ends up in a bed with dirty sheets. That, unfortunately is why we have such a sick world. Those are the images we portray and the messages we send. The impression is made that these two broken souls found each other and they became “whole”. I am asking: How can you give yourself if you aren't whole? What are you exactly giving then? I would like to know who the first person was to say to the world that a perfect, wholesome “you” exist in someone else, find them and then you'll find, you! If the above mentioned is true then I believe with Ghandi: "Everything you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it." Lucky for me, I don't. I also don't believe that everything you do is insignificant. Am I unrealistic? No, I am exactly the opposite! I hope for a world where directors will start showing the truth without the “so-called-truth”. I am hoping for a world where we don't have to kill someone in the end to make it realistic, that we can talk about princes and angels – because we truly believe they exist. I am hoping for a world where we can tell a story in complete truth and it is really a fairy tale and not a fairy tale version of the truth. I am hoping for stories that we can embrace, live in and finally let go. The movie is rated aged 13, I truly think that is preposterous – it should at least be rated aged 16. There is really upsetting scenes of violence, horrible language and profanity, lots of sexual content and smoking. Parents be strongly cautioned. I guess to see Robert actually kissing a girl and being a normal guy, was fun. He had a lot of the same presence he had in Twilight, which probably means he is going to have a lot of trouble shedding that character. The movie has a devastating end, completely unexpected. An added bonus was to see a older, salt 'n pepper, Brosnan.
I am giving it a love/hate 4½/10!
See you at the movies! Please share your thoughts on the movie... We would love to know!
Tyler (Robert Pattinson) is a young man in New York, seemingly troubled, who goes through the stages of rebellion. The movie starts with his worst possible stage – portraying him as violent and vicious. Isn't that lovely! Pattinson off-course, never seizes to amaze me: young, vicious, rebellious, troubling but still so very mysterious. There is almost something good about him, like a drug: you know it's bad but yet you still can't seem to get enough of it! He comes from a broken family – hence all his problems and it seems that all the souls he attracts is also quite saddened. He has a very bad relationship with his father (Pierce Brosnan) but like all boys, although they hate their fathers they all desperately seek their approval in one way or another.
Tyler meets Ally (Emilie de Ravin), who also has a heart breaking story to tell and they fall madly in love. Her father's (Chris Cooper) behaviour – because of his own broken heart – forces her closer into Tyler's arms. It is with him that she seeks refuge and strength. The sad part about the movie is that Tyler cant give her something, he himself does not possess. There is alas, a difference between brute force and strength. This young couple finds out that there is much more to life and love than the obvious appearances.
In their own way they had to become whole, as individual people, to truly love each other. That kind of love is strong and true – it can stand through the toughest winds and the darkest nights. One can only truly give it if one is able to have it. I did not see it in this movie though, of all the things Coulter did, this was the worst mistake. Sure, he seemed more “happy”, with a few more smile's and so ons, but with a talented actor like Pattinson, he could have showed the healing much more significantly. Which brings me to another point: Was he truly healed? They were both young, they found what they thought is love, but is in truth only a expression of love. Making love is the act of the feeling. What is sad about this statement is that it rarely shows the expression which is love. I guess you get a chicken/egg situation. I would love to see a movie where the actual act is shown! A movie were the expression was not sex and where a director could capture the actual event without showing that the perfect love ends up in a bed with dirty sheets. That, unfortunately is why we have such a sick world. Those are the images we portray and the messages we send. The impression is made that these two broken souls found each other and they became “whole”. I am asking: How can you give yourself if you aren't whole? What are you exactly giving then? I would like to know who the first person was to say to the world that a perfect, wholesome “you” exist in someone else, find them and then you'll find, you! If the above mentioned is true then I believe with Ghandi: "Everything you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it." Lucky for me, I don't. I also don't believe that everything you do is insignificant. Am I unrealistic? No, I am exactly the opposite! I hope for a world where directors will start showing the truth without the “so-called-truth”. I am hoping for a world where we don't have to kill someone in the end to make it realistic, that we can talk about princes and angels – because we truly believe they exist. I am hoping for a world where we can tell a story in complete truth and it is really a fairy tale and not a fairy tale version of the truth. I am hoping for stories that we can embrace, live in and finally let go. The movie is rated aged 13, I truly think that is preposterous – it should at least be rated aged 16. There is really upsetting scenes of violence, horrible language and profanity, lots of sexual content and smoking. Parents be strongly cautioned. I guess to see Robert actually kissing a girl and being a normal guy, was fun. He had a lot of the same presence he had in Twilight, which probably means he is going to have a lot of trouble shedding that character. The movie has a devastating end, completely unexpected. An added bonus was to see a older, salt 'n pepper, Brosnan.
I am giving it a love/hate 4½/10!
See you at the movies! Please share your thoughts on the movie... We would love to know!
