July 20, 2009
When Pippa Lee and her husband, thirty years her senior, move to a retirement home it is so they can share the rest of his life happily together. Unfortunately for Pippa the peaceful, easy life is not what she craves. As she reflects on her own life she slowly begins to fall apart.
This film follows a similar track to Flashbacks of a Fool. You follow the main character’s present life interspersed with flashbacks to the causes of their personality and present situation. Unlike Flashbacks of a Fool you don’t realise that Pippa is quite messed up until further into the film.
The film is well directed and written by Rebecca Miller (Proof) with a very strong cast. Robin Wright Penn (Forrest Gump) makes a beautiful show of the unravelling mature Pippa, accompanied expertly by Blake Lively (Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants) as her younger self. Alan Arkin (Little Miss Sunshine) plays Pippa’s older husband, the dry and unsympathetic character you will quickly recognise. Keanu Reeves (Matrix) appears in a role not wildly different from others he has played, the quiet, contemplative stranger with deep feelings! There are also strong appearances from Winona Rider, Maria Bello, Julianne Moore and Monica Bellucci.
This film has a lot going for it: an excellent cast, well directed and it has a story but at the same time I was sat wondering what the point was. There were moments when I was shocked, laughed out loud and even wanted the next flashback to continue the explanation. However, I would not watch this film again nor would I recommend this film over others currently showing… well maybe over Ice Age 3!
This film follows a similar track to Flashbacks of a Fool. You follow the main character’s present life interspersed with flashbacks to the causes of their personality and present situation. Unlike Flashbacks of a Fool you don’t realise that Pippa is quite messed up until further into the film.
The film is well directed and written by Rebecca Miller (Proof) with a very strong cast. Robin Wright Penn (Forrest Gump) makes a beautiful show of the unravelling mature Pippa, accompanied expertly by Blake Lively (Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants) as her younger self. Alan Arkin (Little Miss Sunshine) plays Pippa’s older husband, the dry and unsympathetic character you will quickly recognise. Keanu Reeves (Matrix) appears in a role not wildly different from others he has played, the quiet, contemplative stranger with deep feelings! There are also strong appearances from Winona Rider, Maria Bello, Julianne Moore and Monica Bellucci.
This film has a lot going for it: an excellent cast, well directed and it has a story but at the same time I was sat wondering what the point was. There were moments when I was shocked, laughed out loud and even wanted the next flashback to continue the explanation. However, I would not watch this film again nor would I recommend this film over others currently showing… well maybe over Ice Age 3!