10s Movie Review - Collateral Beauty

Director: David Frankel
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 97
Year: 2016
Starring: Will Smith, Edward Norton, Kate Winslet, Hellen Mirren, Keira Knightley, Naomi Harris, Michael Peña, Jacob Latimore, Ann Dowd

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 9: A FILM WITH EDWARD NORTON
 
Description: Retreating from life after a tragedy, a man questions the universe by writing to Love, Time and Death. Receiving unexpected answers, he begins to see how these things interlock and how even loss can reveal moments of meaning and beauty.

Review: For advertising man Howard, there are three main abstractions in life that he not only proclaims as a pep talk to his co-workers, but reveals themselves to himself after a tragic loss. He writes letters to each of them: love, time and death. And he gets answers.

It’s orchestrated by his best friends and co-workers, who can no longer watch how Howard is drowning in his grief. They hire three actors, to portray love, time and death. And talk to Howard about the letters he has written.

It’s a thoughtful act, but it feels like more of a way to save their company then to actually help their friend. There is so much misery to digest that cramming it into barely an hour and a half is impossible. Many scenes feel rushed and unfinished. And there is also this plot twist, that I kinda saw coming.

“Collateral Beauty” has an interesting premise and the film is filled with amazing, talented actors. Unfortunately, the film feels rushed and many characters are given background stories, but are left underdeveloped. Some of the actors are underused and didn’t really have much do to with their characters. Director David Frankel did so little with everything that he had and turned it into an over-sentimental forgettable drama.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

Movie Trailer Sunday (267)

Here are this week's trailers.

Wonder Woman
Director: Patty Jenkins
Description: An Amazonian princess (Gal Gadot) leaves her island home to explore the world and, in doing so, becomes one of the world's greatest heroes.
Starring: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, RObin Wright, Connie Nielsen, David Thewlis, Danny Huston
Trailer: Trailer "Wonder Woman"
Comment: A new official trailer. Kick ass Wonder Woman.

Collateral Beauty
Director: David Frankel
Description: Retreating from life after a tragedy, a man questions the universe by writing to Love, Time and Death. Receiving unexpected answers, he begins to see how these things interlock and how even loss can reveal moments of meaning and beauty.
Starring: Will Smith, Helen Mirren, Kate Winslet, Edward Norton, Keira Knightley, Naomie Harris, Michael Peña
Trailer: Trailer "Collateral Beauty"
Comment: I already got tears...

Valerian and a City of a Thousand Planets
Director: Luc Besson
Description: Time-traveling agent Valerian is sent to investigate a galactic empire, along with his partner Laureline.
Starring: Cara Delevingne, Ethan Hawke, John Goodman, Dane DeHaan, Clive Owen, Rutger Hauer, Rihanna
Trailer: Trailer "Valerian and a City of a Thousand Planets"
Comment: Luc Besson directing this is promising.

The Salesman
Director: Asghar Farhadi
Description: Forushande (The Salesman) is the story of a couple whose relationship begins to turn sour during their performance of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman.
Starring: Taraneh Alidoosti, Shahab Hosseini, Mina Sadati, Babak Karimi
Trailer: Trailer for "The Salesman"
Comment: Looks intense.

The Adulterers
Director: H.M. Coakley
Description: A man who returns home to find his wife cheating on him on their anniversary. He holds her and her naked and humiliated lover captive at gunpoint while he decides whether or not he's going to kill them. The story, inspired by true events, takes place over one day and is set in New Orleans during a stifling heat wave.
Starring: Sean Faris, Mehcad Brooks, Danielle Savre
Trailer: Trailer "The Adulterers"
Comment: Looks a bit shitty.

Movie Trailer Sunday (258)

Here are this week's trailers.

Certain Women
Director: Kelly Reichardt
Description: The lives of three women intersect in small-town America, where each is imperfectly blazing a trail.
Starring: Michelle Williams, Laura Dern, Kristen Stewart, Jared Harris
Trailer: Trailer "Certain Women"
Comment: A film filled with strong actresses.

Colatteral Beauty
Director: David Frankel
Description: A tragic event sends a New York ad man on a downward spiral.
Starring: Will Smith, Keira Knightley, Helen Mirren, Edward Norton, Kate Winslet, Naomie Harris, Michael Peña
Trailer: Trailer "Collateral Beauty"
Comment: Looks beautiful.

Live by Night
Director: Ben Affleck
Description: A story set in the Prohibition Era and centered around a group of individuals and their dealings in the world of organized crime.
Starring: Ben Affleck, Scott Eastwood, Zoe Saldana, Sienna Miller, Chris Cooper, Elle Fanning, Chris Mesina, Anthony Michael Hall, Titus Welliver
Trailer: Trailer "Live by Night"
Comment: I'm not a fan of actor Ben Affleck, but director Ben Affleck is strong. This can go either way.

Gold
Director: Stephen Caghan
Description: An unlikely pair venture to the Indonesian jungle in search of gold.
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Bryce Dallas Howard, Toby Kebbell, Edgar Ramirez, Rachael Taylor, Corey Stoll, Bruce Greenwood, Stacy Keach, Bill Camp
Trailer: Trailer "Gold"
Comment: I probably won't like these characters.

Free Fire
Director: Ben Wheatley
Description: Set in Boston in 1978, a meeting in a deserted warehouse between two gangs turns into a shootout and a game of survival.
Starring: Sharlto Copely, Brie Larson, Cillian Murphy, Armie Hammer
Trailer: Trailer "Free Fire"
Comment: This looks like so much fun!