Nicole (Dakota Johnson) and her husband Matt Teague (Casey Affleck) have two daughters, Molly and Evie. When Nicole starts suffering from cancer, their longtime friend Dane Faucheux (Jason Segel) moves in with the family.
I don't like the time jumbo. It's a device to add tension and mystery to an otherwise straight forward melodrama. I'd rather have the melodrama straight up. I really don't like the time jumbo adding tension to one specific family issue. Without going into spoilers, the time jumbo is trying to misdirect with this family drama but it's obviously hitting the nail on the head. I expected the misdirection and really annoyed me when it happens. Just play it straight.
One thing I do notice is that the daughters are central to the emotional trauma. The close-your-eyes scene and the dying-reveal scene are the two most powerful scenes in the movie. This movie really needs to be about all five characters. The girls should have bigger roles in the movie. Gwendoline Christie does have an important section and I would never cut that out. Dane's girlfriends are another issue. They don't have enough time to matter in the movie. Maybe concentrate on one woman and do more with that character. This is an unabashed tearjerker and there are a few scenes doing that. It doesn't need to add work by doing a time jumbo. It needs more of the girls. It can be better.
I don't like the time jumbo. It's a device to add tension and mystery to an otherwise straight forward melodrama. I'd rather have the melodrama straight up. I really don't like the time jumbo adding tension to one specific family issue. Without going into spoilers, the time jumbo is trying to misdirect with this family drama but it's obviously hitting the nail on the head. I expected the misdirection and really annoyed me when it happens. Just play it straight.
One thing I do notice is that the daughters are central to the emotional trauma. The close-your-eyes scene and the dying-reveal scene are the two most powerful scenes in the movie. This movie really needs to be about all five characters. The girls should have bigger roles in the movie. Gwendoline Christie does have an important section and I would never cut that out. Dane's girlfriends are another issue. They don't have enough time to matter in the movie. Maybe concentrate on one woman and do more with that character. This is an unabashed tearjerker and there are a few scenes doing that. It doesn't need to add work by doing a time jumbo. It needs more of the girls. It can be better.