10/13
French A generational story about families and the special place they call home, sharing love, loss, laughter and life. Based on the comic book “Here” by Richard McGuire. It was first published as a comic book in the comic book magazine “Raw” in 1989 and was expanded into a 300-page graphic novel in 2014. At one point early in the film, Richard’s father mentions several towns that he says are along the Pennsylvania Turnpike, when in fact they are all towns that are along Pennsylvania’s Interstate 80, which hadn’t even been built yet at the time. [clip from trailer] Richard: You know, if you want, you can spend the rest of the night here. Margaret: I could spend the rest of my life here. Features They’re Pretending to Conga (1943). The Clarinet Concerto, op. 1 and 2 Written by Artie Shaw Performed by Artie Shaw and his orchestra, courtesy of RCA Records By arrangement with Sony Music Entertainment. You like: Good action Realism about many facets of life Dynamic use of setting/decor Creative transitions Aging technology Some fascinating connections Sometimes I liked the artistic angle at the time Relevant/Relatable Emotional summary: The film’s advertising didn’t lie to you, here’s a film that truly is one of the most unique concepts I’ve seen in a while. The film relies on the profit of a single camera/location focus and the story of the impact of time on life and the people in it. Zemeckis accomplished this task on many levels and managed to use the space well and keep the shot dynamic despite being so static. The dynamic changes in the setting make this room fascinating, the idea of the furniture changes being a feature of the house itself, which is impressive and serves as a metaphorical window into life. I loved seeing this room inhabited and the families who have each taken up residence in the villa, seeing their interactions, auras and personalities cast a different light on the scene and tell their own micro-stories. The transitions were through the contours of the shots, drawing the eye before moving on to a new scene, the technique is fluid and rarely overdone for me. It contained many creative facets, but never lost its foundation of realism to make it an enjoyable and balanced piece. In terms of story and acting, a top-notch talent list helped bring this film to life and achieve its goal of being a look at life. Here is a film that relies heavily on relevance and casting to bring that relevance to life. As for the story, it rarely strays from the people experiencing life, taking snippets from different periods and reflecting them back in time. The highs and lows are captured beautifully on screen, and Zemeckis’ vision helps drive the concepts home and hits you with that emotional punch that this film promises. When the relevant stories hit me, it only strengthened my connection to the film and I found my inner self reflecting on what this film has to teach me. The acting is there to give words to the visions, with much of the dialogue poetic without being too Shakespearean in its delivery. Bettany was a surprise to watch, and while he’s not as engaging or dynamic as Disney’s films, he still manages to impress me with a stellar performance of the baby boomer generation grappling with the rapid changes hitting the world. Wright’s return to the screen is fierce, his character torn between fun and frenzy, a brilliant representation of the struggles that have happened to so many in his shoes during the great decades of change. Hanks is of course just as talented, incorporating elements of his other characters into every moment of his life and doing so with the same class and vigor that he almost always brings to the screen. It’s an alchemy that works, this family atmosphere that feels so natural and almost authentic with strong cues to guide the characters and never fall too far into Hollywood depictions.