I needed to sit with this for a couple of days and give it some thought before I could actually write anything about it. To me, that's a good sign. This was a movie that required some reflection rather than just a knee jerk reaction. My initial reaction to it (even as I watched it) mirrored many of the comments I've seen made about it. It's very slow paced, and there are perhaps times when you wonder what the point of it is - if there is any real point. I've realized that maybe that is the point - that there's no real point to the movie. Not in a comedic "Seinfeld" sort of way, but in a more dramatic, slice of life fashion. We're just watching a guy whose life is slowly falling apart - and, at least for a while, he doesn't even realize that it's falling apart. As Mike, I thought William Fichtner put on a superb performance. He's a middle aged guy with a predictable but satisfactory life. His wife loves him, he loves his wife. They both have careers. They have a home. There might be a bit of tension with his son (the movie hints that the father-son relationship isn't perfect) but - hey - even that's part of real life. Basically, things are OK for Mike - if a little bit predictable. And then, into the middle of this predictable, "satisfactory" life, he gets new neighbours: Jenna and Scott. They're a young, attractive, friendly and outgoing couple. And Mike starts to fall for Jenna.
That's where things go off track. Maybe until Jenna appeared he hadn't even realized that his life - being satisfactory - was actually a little unsatisfactory to him. And instead of choosing to spice up his own life and marriage, he falls for the fantasy. He gets increasingly obsessed with Jenna. It's a typical mid-life crisis, helped along by a friend of his who sees the spark with Jenna and encourages him to go with it - after all, in the eyes of his friend this is apparently how you keep your own marriage happy. This was where Fichtner really shone I thought. He's a quiet, soft spoken, kind of dull guy. He moves slowly, he speaks slowly, there doesn't seem to be much passion in him. Everything about him screams "average" and "typical." There's nothing outstanding about him. But he likes Jenna. Perhaps innocently at first. Even his wife teases him about having a "crush" on Jenna. But it grows and it grows. And Jenna's life isn't blissful either. Scott turns out to be a less than ideal husband, and Mike starts to think he's abusive toward Jenna. Jenna needs consoling - someone to make her feel better. And Mike's right there. And they connect. They kiss. Nothing more than that, but it's moving in the direction of something bigger. Jenna, to be honest, is a more or less sympathetic character. You can understand her starting to fall for a guy who's everything that her husband isn't - kind, attentive, gentle, helpful. But you're increasingly appalled by Mike. He had a good life - and he's throwing it all away. And the whole movie becomes this study of Mike, and his relationships with Jenna, and his wife, and ultimately with Scott - who definitely notices something's going on.
I've seen Fichtner in a few things, and I have to admit that he's never really stood out from the crowd for me - but in this, he nailed the part. And I would credit Jessica McNamee as well. I'm totally unfamiliar with her, but she also captured the part of Jenna. At first, she's the young woman in the seemingly normal, happy marriage, but McNamee gradually and effectively reveals layers to the character as the movie went on. These were two very good performances. Admittedly, this movie isn't going to be for everyone. Those who've become accustomed to high-octane all-action films are going to find this a frustrating "slog" to say the least. It's driven by character and not action. It's about life - it's not a fantasy - and there's a certain believability to it. But a lot of people don't want to watch a movie about life. They want an escape. I get that. So not everyone will appreciate this - and, as I said, it really took me a couple of days of mulling it over before I really came to fully appreciate it. I will say that after a pretty slow-paced movie, the ending came across to me as rather abrupt and left a lot hanging. After everything that went on, what actually happened to Mike? Perhaps the ending could have been a little bit tighter and been a better example of closure. All things considered, though, this is a very good movie, and a movie that's quite different from the blockbusters that get all the attention. (7/10)
That's where things go off track. Maybe until Jenna appeared he hadn't even realized that his life - being satisfactory - was actually a little unsatisfactory to him. And instead of choosing to spice up his own life and marriage, he falls for the fantasy. He gets increasingly obsessed with Jenna. It's a typical mid-life crisis, helped along by a friend of his who sees the spark with Jenna and encourages him to go with it - after all, in the eyes of his friend this is apparently how you keep your own marriage happy. This was where Fichtner really shone I thought. He's a quiet, soft spoken, kind of dull guy. He moves slowly, he speaks slowly, there doesn't seem to be much passion in him. Everything about him screams "average" and "typical." There's nothing outstanding about him. But he likes Jenna. Perhaps innocently at first. Even his wife teases him about having a "crush" on Jenna. But it grows and it grows. And Jenna's life isn't blissful either. Scott turns out to be a less than ideal husband, and Mike starts to think he's abusive toward Jenna. Jenna needs consoling - someone to make her feel better. And Mike's right there. And they connect. They kiss. Nothing more than that, but it's moving in the direction of something bigger. Jenna, to be honest, is a more or less sympathetic character. You can understand her starting to fall for a guy who's everything that her husband isn't - kind, attentive, gentle, helpful. But you're increasingly appalled by Mike. He had a good life - and he's throwing it all away. And the whole movie becomes this study of Mike, and his relationships with Jenna, and his wife, and ultimately with Scott - who definitely notices something's going on.
I've seen Fichtner in a few things, and I have to admit that he's never really stood out from the crowd for me - but in this, he nailed the part. And I would credit Jessica McNamee as well. I'm totally unfamiliar with her, but she also captured the part of Jenna. At first, she's the young woman in the seemingly normal, happy marriage, but McNamee gradually and effectively reveals layers to the character as the movie went on. These were two very good performances. Admittedly, this movie isn't going to be for everyone. Those who've become accustomed to high-octane all-action films are going to find this a frustrating "slog" to say the least. It's driven by character and not action. It's about life - it's not a fantasy - and there's a certain believability to it. But a lot of people don't want to watch a movie about life. They want an escape. I get that. So not everyone will appreciate this - and, as I said, it really took me a couple of days of mulling it over before I really came to fully appreciate it. I will say that after a pretty slow-paced movie, the ending came across to me as rather abrupt and left a lot hanging. After everything that went on, what actually happened to Mike? Perhaps the ending could have been a little bit tighter and been a better example of closure. All things considered, though, this is a very good movie, and a movie that's quite different from the blockbusters that get all the attention. (7/10)