It hit home for me.....that's all that matters.

caseypthompson

You know what, some people like broccoli and some people don't. Maybe your parents forced you to eat raw broccoli as a kid and now you can't stand to look at. The thing is, I don't know your story and you don't know mine. I am an artist and get extremely irritated with Pollack paintings. But, that's almost sinful to say in the art world.
Point: some people may see this movie as a dramatic feature with a lot of scenarios that just don't happen in real life. Like the cops scene at the end......really unlikely, right? But, art is art......and art affects people in different ways for different reasons. It's meant to make an impact....and that doesn't always mean that it has to seem completely believable. What fictional drama really is?
If you want the truth, stick with still-life paintings and documentaries. If you want something that makes you feel all sorts of emotions, then go look at Frida Kahlo's work and watch this movie.

Some reviews mock the "family-like" relationship at the restaurant. Like, how could any six people really be that close and love each other that much when they are technically just employees and employers? Maybe it is contrived, but do you know why I found that part of this movie, this painting....beautiful? Because it's something I've always wanted. It's a dream of mine to have a loving mother and friends by your side like brothers and sisters and everyone works great together and takes care of each other. I find that beautiful because I DESIRE it within myself.

Maybe you don't understand the sister. Maybe she's too intense and crazy and her character makes no sense. Maybe you've never been abused or raped or beaten. Because if you haven't? You wouldn't understand the insanity that can lie asleep beneath your deepest darkest secrets that you mask over with polite howdy-do's and do nots. Again, her character seemed unbelievable and melodramatic, but I felt her pain because part of her rage and anger is within me because of my own life drama. So to me? I found it compelling.

Maybe the main character Denny seemed too robotic and not very convincing from an emotional standpoint. But for me? I know what it's like to be buried under years of trauma and unable to be myself and to constantly have everyone at arms length and push and push and push with all my might so that I may not be hurt again.

This movie will impact you if it's meant to, just like a Jackson Pollack painting. Maybe you are more of a Monet or Dali or Kahlo fan. And, why do you connect to those works more than other artists? What in your life made you love the things you love? What made you hate the things you hate?

To call this film a contrived drama with no point only tells me that maybe you haven't had the life experiences to appreciate this film. Or maybe it's just not for your heart to connect to. And, that's okay.

I mean, I think The Sound Of Music and Titanic and so many of these so well-loved classics are hokey and boring. Maybe I got burnt too young too fast and I prefer dramatic and heavy art that taps at my very own piano strings, such as this film. And this film? It was a beautiful piece of art that I will never be able to touch, but can find its meaning to be powerful all the same.

To each their own.

score 9/10

caseypthompson 24 January 2020

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw5433679/