I've used that one-line summary before, and it is quite appropriate for this movie as well.
I thoroughly enjoyed this independent film -- until about 90 seconds from the end.
IMHO, movie endings must fit the movie. When they are contrived simply to satisfy audiences, they destroy the flow of the film, cause the scene to feel "forced", and in general, ruin what would otherwise be a great movie.
Some stories deserve less-than-happy endings. Some stories need to end on a down note -- perhaps a tragic end, perhaps a melancholic one -- not every film needs or should have a happy ending. I can think of countless numbers of films that have been tainted by Hollywood's demand for happy endings. Did anyone else who saw Back to the Future III think that the way it ended failed to exhibit continuity with the rest of the film -- and think that it would have been better not to have Doc return in that friggin' space train?
Think "Last American Virgin". Cheezy film, perhaps, but a non-happy ending that fit perfectly.
***WARNING: SPOILERS***
The Man from Elysian Fields has the same problem. An excellent film overall, it is tainted by the return of Garcia's wife at the end. Come on ladies, who among you would actually return to that marriage after those circumstances?? Only one word fits that ending: contrived.
(The reading of the novel at the end was a little cheezy too ... who wrote those lines?? Yikes, somebody should of hired an actual novelist!)
***END SPOILERS***
I don't want to take away from the solid writing, original storyline, and siginficant performances by the actors. This was a good film. I'm just disgruntled that in the end "it all works out" when clearly, it shouldn't have.
8 out of 10 reduced to 6 out of 10 'cause of the ending.
I thoroughly enjoyed this independent film -- until about 90 seconds from the end.
IMHO, movie endings must fit the movie. When they are contrived simply to satisfy audiences, they destroy the flow of the film, cause the scene to feel "forced", and in general, ruin what would otherwise be a great movie.
Some stories deserve less-than-happy endings. Some stories need to end on a down note -- perhaps a tragic end, perhaps a melancholic one -- not every film needs or should have a happy ending. I can think of countless numbers of films that have been tainted by Hollywood's demand for happy endings. Did anyone else who saw Back to the Future III think that the way it ended failed to exhibit continuity with the rest of the film -- and think that it would have been better not to have Doc return in that friggin' space train?
Think "Last American Virgin". Cheezy film, perhaps, but a non-happy ending that fit perfectly.
***WARNING: SPOILERS***
The Man from Elysian Fields has the same problem. An excellent film overall, it is tainted by the return of Garcia's wife at the end. Come on ladies, who among you would actually return to that marriage after those circumstances?? Only one word fits that ending: contrived.
(The reading of the novel at the end was a little cheezy too ... who wrote those lines?? Yikes, somebody should of hired an actual novelist!)
***END SPOILERS***
I don't want to take away from the solid writing, original storyline, and siginficant performances by the actors. This was a good film. I'm just disgruntled that in the end "it all works out" when clearly, it shouldn't have.
8 out of 10 reduced to 6 out of 10 'cause of the ending.