Furlough (2018) User Reviews

A trip to nowhere

[mjsreg · 4/10 · 3 April 2018]

The cast is good and the film is technically well made, but it lacks any kind of - well - interest.

It just meandres on with a few things happening - then it is the end of the film - that is it.

The story had a great deal of potential that it fails to fulfill.

Genre says comedy ,, well ,, it's arguable..

[Aktham_Tashtush · 4/10 · 15 September 2018]

The movie is enjoyable to a certain level ,, but i kinda expected a comedy movie to be actually funny ,, i mean it was okay ,, heartwarming for some scenes but not funny ,,, i don't know ,, i think there was that one scene with the taser and that was it .

The idea and the plot are original and had some potentials but the screenplay was so dull and not interactive.. I liked that intense Tessa Thompson character but still didn't rise to the occasion, same goes for Melissa Leo.

I think i'm being a bit generous giving the movie a 4 stars review ,, just for the idea itself.

Just "Okay"

[MeMyselfOnline · 5/10 · 4 April 2018]

Watching this film gave me anxiety!

We're meant to be believe that an inmate, nearing the end of her sentence for armed robbery, is having an escorted visit to see her mother on her deathbed. And the officer chosen to do said escort is something of a rookie, wanting to make a good impression in order to get a full-time job with the prison.

So far, so meh.

Yet within a few minutes of the journey (in running time) the officer is unshackling the prisoner's ankles, then a short time later, her legs, and minutes later leaving her entirely unmonitored.

The whole premise is so entirely unbelievable that I was cringeing with the anxiety of it all and shouting at the TV that it was so stupid.

That said, I found it an enjoyable enough film, helped by its comparatively short running time.

To enjoy it yourself, I suggest you leave your brain and any common sense contained within it at the door. Question what you see to heavily and it'll fall apart before your eyes.

Humour Falls Flat and Plot is Full of Contrivances

[ddrucker-424-403482 · 3/10 · 14 January 2019]

A young, struggling part-time correctional officer gets the chance to become full-time by escorting a prisoner to her mother's deathbed. She is obviously supposed to learn something from the experience of trying to chaperone an unruly but older prisoner. Instead of a script that might let them learn or bond, instead it's a series of scenes with them simply sitting together as they travel.

Unfortunately, it feels as if the plot gets elements added to it to make it difficult. Most of what occurs in the trip seems to happen for no good reason, except to create situations where the inmate can escape, at least temporarily? Why, for example, would they be forced to take a bus and then a train to the mother (but then quickly return via rental car)? Why does the phone of the officer constantly ring or receive texts? Why do romantic interests appear and disappear as if put on the screen like chess pieces?

In short, I wanted to like this movie but it seems a mess, and I kept wondering how much Whoopie Goldberg and Anna Paquin were paid for what must have been 2 days of shooting each (if that). The humour really doesn't work - painfully so. The script is dull at best, and the tone is sometimes too mournful for it's own good. If you are a fan of Orange is the New Black, any episode you've seen is better than this.

Wanted to like it but...

[jrneptune · 6/10 · 2 March 2019]

I really expect more from this movie. It has a number of my favorite actors. It had a good premise. I considered watching it again incase I missed something but decided against it.

The story is ripe with plot holes. Melissa Leo has the strongest performance in my opinion. At least she could say she went to jail for bad decisions and with even being near the end of her sentence she would still make bad choices. I would guess either the director or writer were to blame for failed performances of Tessa Thompson and Whoopi Goldberg.

At least the camerawork was good. Worth seeing once if you have the time and nothing better to watch. Hopefully whoever was at fault will improve their craft in the future.

Failed female Midnight Run

[Jithindurden · 2/10 · 19 March 2018]

Tessa Thompson and Melissa Leo are great but this film is not. Trying to be a female Midnight Run for these times but pretty much nothing working except the performances of the lead actresses. The script is bland and a lot annoying at places and the comedy that is supposed to be working is outdated and boring. Then there is the ending where suddenly Thompson's character change a lot in her life without having any big realizations in the journey or consequences of applying it which is simply baffling that this could have been part of a student script that never got made because it shouldn't be.

Nice characters in an endearing female "buddy" story. Quirky funny supporting role by Whoopi Goldberg.

[imseeg · 6/10 · 18 April 2019]

Generally an endearing picture about love between mothers and their daughters, set in a quirky, warmhearted story. Good acting performances. Not a terrific movie, but quite nice.

A funny female "buddy" movie about a female cop who has to escort a female convict to her dying mother. Things tend to go get out of control a bit along the way, resulting in some funny and some less funny situations.

Small (10 minutes) , yet funny supporting role by Whoopi Goldberg, who is playing the mom of the police officer. Whoopi keeps calling her daughter while she has to escort the convict, resulting in lots of funny mother-daughter dialogues. Good fun.

Lackluster

[UniqueParticle · 5/10 · 24 May 2019]

Definitely not great but not the worst. Either way it's watchable despite its cringey moments where the prisoner gets cuffs off and even free from the C.O. for a portion of time, which was ridiculous on many levels. Melissa Leo was pretty decent and so was the young Tessa Thompson; mediocre for what it is.

Melissa Leo in a (mostly) lighter role!

[ryanlisee · 6/10 · 19 March 2018]

Greetings fellow screen peepers! Oscar winner Melissa Leo's film resume is loaded with dramatic roles, but in Furlough we get to see a lighter side of her. In Furlough, she plays Joan Anderson, a prison inmate serving her sentence when she is granted a weekend furlough in order to visit her dying mother. A rookie correction officer played by Tessa Thompson (Annihilation, Creed & Thor: Ragnarok) is assigned to chaperone her but she also has some baggage of her own in the form of a needy mother played by Whoopie Goldberg. The tone of the film is kept light during the first half of the film, but the film takes a more dramatic turn once Leo meets her mother. Leo is more than capable of the tone shift and she shines. Anna Paquin has a solid supporting role towards the end of the film that rounds out the cast. This is a nice feelgood road trip style film

??

[cappa-98781 · 2/10 · 8 April 2019]

Other than a good cast I'm not sure why this movie was made.

A film that gets better. Cast attracted to it for some good reasons that become apparent

[k_grall · 8/10 · 3 September 2019]

I initially found this film a little tedious but it must do the groundwork because when we reach the pinacle emotional scenes, I have to say it came away with some profound points. That could be on incarceration, Life, and how time is spent for both Joan and her prison-guard. There's some social-realism here, which is why I think it attracted a good cast in Melissa Leo and Anna Pacquin particularly, as well as Tessa Thompson. Worth a look for that.

An unexpectedly sweet comedy

[Gordon-11 · 6 October 2018]

This film tells the story of a correctional officer who escorts a prisoner for 36 hours for a death bed visit.

The plot sounds like a heavy drama, but actually it is a light hearted comedy. The plot is funny, even thought there are no specific scenes that make me laugh out loud, it still cheers me up. I think both Melissa Leo and Tessa Thompson are great in the film. I enjoyed this unexpectedly sweet comedy.

Better than 20% rotten tomatoes

[geargroy · 7/10 · 6 May 2019]

It's not Avengers and it isn't supposed to be. It's a relax enjoy a dramedy then move on story. Tessa Thompson saved the movie she was great. I liked this move 6/10.

OK in a mediocre way.

[apjc · 5/10 · 20 March 2018]

It's watchable and enjoyable enough if there's nothing on TV and you've trawled through all films to this. I think it could have been very good with roles reversed, and more antagonism by leading players at the start. It would work better with a hard as nails older southern white taking the pretty young black girl to her mother and old surroundings. Wouldn't be political, I hope, but far more interesting.

Forget life for a while

[srjcochrane · 10/10 · 12 September 2018]

My wife and I saw this with low ratings so watched it without great expectation. I really enjoyed the movie. Not a thinking movie, more like get on board and enjoy the ride.

Very Good Movie

[donalhusni · 10/10 · 8 May 2018]

This is for me a very entertain and strong story line movie.