Q: What’s the movie about?
A: A young man (Henry Hopper) obsessed with death falls in love with a young woman (Mia Wasikowska) who is dying.
Q: Who’s in the movie?
A: Henry Hopper, Mia Wasikowska, Ryo Kase, Schuyler Fisk, Jane Adams, Chin Han, Lusia Strus
Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?
A:
Proceed with Caution. There are a few sweet moments within the slow paced story, and the jokey attitude toward death is somewhat entertaining, but overall, it's been done before.Q: Will this movie make me laugh?
A: You might chuckle once or twice at some of the quirk.
Q: Will this movie make me cry?
A: Bryce Dallas Howard's complete ignorance of how nepotism works in Hollywood makes me cry a little. This, her first film as a producer, was made under her father's banner, Imagine, and she is very concerned about being seen as having gotten it made there out of nepotism, so she goes out of her way to explain in a Q & A how she met with people at the company who weren't her dad (Ron Howard). The fact that these people liked it was proof to her that it wasn't nepotism. What makes me sad is thinking about how she grew up in Hollywood since birth and still has such a poor understanding of how nepotism works. See, the thing is, Bryce, those people you met with are employed by your dad, and they know better than to say no to his little girl. Their children are depending on it. Your dad pays for their food and shelter.
Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?
A: In honor of Bryce Dallas Howard's first producing effort, I'd like to give my younger siblings and niece a Nepotism Award, because I have already begun to shower them with nepotism at every opportunity, and I plan to continue passing on my many years of experience and contacts to them, guilt free, for as long as I am able. Here's my best advice to Bryce and any other lucky recipients of nepotism: take it, see it for what it is, and be grateful that you get to partake. I sure would've been!
Q: How is the Acting?
A: The chemistry between Mia Wasikowska and Henry Hopper is the only reason to see this film. Mia is quite charming. And Henry, in his first on-screen performance ever, grows on you throughout the film, and is the son of the late Dennis Hopper-- speaking of nepotism.
Q: How is the Directing?
A: Gus Van Sant clearly did this film because they were over-paying him and he would be able to shoot in his home town of Portland. Normally he makes films like this for $3 million dollars, but because Sony and Imagine were involved, he made this one for over $14 million. He couldn't even figure out how to spend the money... what was left of it, anyway, after Imagine's giant fee.
Q: How is the story/script?
A: Apparently, in development they spent a lot of time talking about the "physics of the world" in which the main character has an imaginary/ghost friend. The "Rules of the world" note is one of the most common notes you will get from a producer any time you are dealing with fantasy, magic, alternate realities, or other-worldy creatures, like ghosts. So common is this note, that it shouldn't have taken them more than 5 minutes of conversation to see that they never established a justification in the "rules of the world" for how this imaginary/ghost was able to punch a living person in the face leaving a bruise and putting him in the hospital. Nope, that's not how ghosts work. Newton's Law explains clearly that ghosts can't exert force on things in the material world unless you, the writer, establish that they can.
Q: Is there anything else worth mentioning about the movie?
A: I finally figured out which one of my friends Mia Wasikowska looks exactly like... Amy, I have found your doppleganger! Mia, if you ever need a dead-on double, call me. I'll put you in touch.
Q: Where can I see the trailer?
A: Restless Trailer
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