47/40
A generational story about families and the special place they call home, sharing love, loss, laughter and life. Based on the comic strip “Here” by Richard McGuire. It was first published as a comic strip in the comic 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 names several towns that he claims are along the Pennsylvania Turnpike, when in fact they are all towns along Interstate 80 in Pennsylvania, which hadn’t even been built yet at the time. [trailer clip] Richard: You know, if you wanted to, you could spend the rest of the night here. Margaret: I could spend the rest of my life here. Features They Pretend to Conga (1943). Clarinet Concerto, Pts. 1 & 2Written by Artie ShawPerformed by Artie Shaw and His OrchestraCourtesy of RCA RecordsBy arrangement with Sony Music Entertainment. LIKES:Good actingRealistic about many facets of lifeDynamic use of setting/sceneryCreative transitionsDe-aging technologySome fascinating connections at timesLoved the artistic angle at the timeRelevant/RelatableEmotionalSummary:The film’s advertising didn’t lie to you, this is a film that is truly one of the most unique concepts we’ve seen in a while. The film relies on taking advantage of the single camera/location fix and telling a story about the impact of time on life and the people in it. Zemeckis accomplished this on many levels and managed to use space well and keep the shot dynamic despite being so static. The dynamic set changes help make this play fascinating, the idea of furniture changes being a feature of the house itself that is impressive and serves as a metaphorical window into life. I loved seeing this room inhabited and the families that each call the villa home, seeing their interactions, auras and personalities cast a different light on the scene and tell their own micro-stories. The transitions occurred via the outlines of the photographs, drawing attention before moving on to a new scene, the technique is fluid and rarely over the top for me. It had many creative facets but never lost its grounding in realism to make it an enjoyable and balanced piece. As for the story and acting, a list of top-notch talent helped bring this film to life and achieve the goal of being a look into life. This is a film that relies heavily on relevance and on the casting to bring that relevance to life. Story wise, it rarely strays from the people living life, taking snippets from various time periods and reflecting them back in time. The highs and lows are beautifully captured on screen, and Zemeckis’ vision helps to drive home the concepts and hit you with that emotional gut punch 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 had 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 not as engaging or dynamic as his Disney films, he still manages to impress me with a stellar performance of the baby boomer generation facing the rapid changes hitting the world. Wright’s return to the screen is fierce as his character is torn between fun and frenzy, a brilliant representation of the struggles that befell so many in his position during the great decades of change. Hanks is, of course, every bit as talented as he ever was, incorporating elements of his other characters into every moment of his life and doing so with the same class and vigor 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 leads to guide the characters and never falling too far into Hollywood representations.
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