best picture marathon: film #4

“you’re right, ok? is that what you wanna hear?”

i’m of the opinion that this is an irresponsible movie. it doesn’t really matter to me if i think it’s well made or piss poor, because in the end it just stings with that carelessness. for months i’ve been weighing it on my tongue and mulling it over, and i’ve realized that it only tastes worse every day. and upon rewatch i discovered that i can’t even accept it as a study of grief or self sabotage in the wake of loss when the ending is just too much to stomach. at one point i thought it would work better as a flat out horror movie, at least then its mixed messages would likely operate better within that genre. but here it’s just a glitzy mess, too obsessed with drilling the point home that it completely collapses in on itself

it feels like the only intention here is to shame the audience over and over again, and in response to feeling that shame many voters in various spaces have gifted it with a slew of nominations, including at the academy awards. i’m not really saying it doesn’t deserve the nominations, (or even the awards), but in a nutshell this feels to me like the most easily digestible ‘me too’ movie yet, more aggressive and well directed than bombshell but with still no real statement to make, both vague and flashy simultaneously so that the final credits rolling are supposed to inspire shock and awe. but it honestly just makes me feel uncomfortable. it tries and has its moments but is overall unable to charm me, and i doubt it ever will as i have no intention of revisiting this any time soon

i’m gonna end this like i ended my last review of this movie, with recommendations: if you’d like a 2020 movie that handles this subject matter with more subtle grace then i highly recommend the assistant. or if bloody revenge is more your thing, revenge (2017) is definitely worth a watch. for b-movie horror similar to this i’d check out american mary. and finally the series i may destroy you, which i haven’t been brave enough to watch myself yet but have only heard stellar things about and plan to watch soon. i just don’t recommend this, that much i know for sure, and it really bums me out