WRITING (Joe Talbot/Jimmie Fails/Rob Richert): The characters depicted in this story are broken and vulnerable. Nobody is perfect and finding a strong character in this film is difficult. Having all of these vulnerable characters makes the story more endearing. There is also a lot of symbolism and foreshadowing used in this movie that was excellently done. Characters spoke natural language, motivations made sense, which would be ideal given that this is a true story. Everything flows super well and comes together perfectly. I really love this endearing, touching story that speaks about the importance of your past and being happy with what you have. 10/10
PERFORMANCES (Joe Talbot): Jimmie Fails is perfect in this movie, especially during the breakdown scene. Jonathan Majors working alongside him creates an excellent pair that steals the show with amazing chemistry. Back them up with a stellar supporting cast and you have a recipe for great performances. 10/10
CINEMATOGRAPHY (Adam Newport-Berra): The framing of this film heavily resembles a Wes Anderson film and it works perfectly. The lighting, as well, creates a visually stunning film that is flawless in its look. However, it all wasn’t like that. There is enough difference in the cinematography to make it not a Wes Anderson clone. The visual storytelling used in this film, also, is outstanding and one of my favorite aspects of this film. 10/10
EDITING (David Marks): The editing of this film also heavily resembles a Wes Anderson film. Hard cuts and match cuts make up the majority of this film, but it feels different enough to be more than that. The color grading was also phenomenal, along with the dialogue editing and overall flow of the film. 10/10
VISUAL EFFECTS (Darren Fanton): I assume the VFX that came into play here were matte paintings and large backdrops that were placed in post, but even so, they were flawless. You could tell me there were no VFX in this whole film and I’d believe you. I didn’t even know there was until I checked IMDb and saw there were VFX credits. 10/10
ENJOYMENT: Let me put it this way, this is a “slow” movie where not much happens and I was enthralled the whole time. The characters’ emotions and individual personalities made this film as enjoyable as it was. The realness of this film is impactful, making you invested in everything. It all hit and knocked it out of the park. 10/10
MUSICAL SCORE (Emile Mosseri): The score went along with the visuals and the story so well, even elevating the film. The original music gives this film a fantastical, larger-than-life feel somehow, separating it from most other dramas out there. And then the pre-existing music takes it to another level, even giving us one of the best opening scenes I have seen in a very long time. 10/10
SOUND (Kent Sparling): The sound design in this film is exceptional, giving us a down-to-earth film while also giving us the feel of something grander, because to Jimmie Falls, this is the biggest thing in the world. The mixing is also perfectly done, leaving nothing standing out in the way of unlevel audio. 10/10
PRODUCTION DESIGN (Jona Tochet): The design of the house alone was phenomenal, but then you have the incredible designs of Montgomery’s room and the costumes, perfectly encapsulating the characters in just their costumes alone. Everything comes together beautifully, leaving no stone unturned. 10/10
OVERALL: This is an outstanding film that gives us raw emotion seasoned by larger-than-life music, cinematography, and production design. Everything comes together perfectly.
Marc Mifsud 