I find it hard to rate a picture with Clive Owen and Juliette Binoche as mediocre, but I have to. I watched this through because they are two of my favorite actors. I have followed their careers with enthusiasm from their early days.
This movie is a sappy hybrid of a romantic comedy in the vein of Noel Coward and an inspirational story for adolescents along the lines of "Dead Poets Society". Setting it in Maine made it seem even more implausible and awkward. Clive Owen does a good American accent, but I think he is less powerful without his normal voice. Juliette Binoche held up her end better, but the role wasn't really suited to her talent.
The teenagers were very teenager-like. Hammy and overly emotional. Adding veterans like Bruce Davison and Amy Brenneman didn't really help much, since their parts were very superficial. Christian Scheider stood out in the role of Owen's son, reacting to his father's alcoholism.
Alcoholism was showcased excessively. Sobriety was a terse footnote. The chronic disease of Binoche's character was portrayed as just a drag, something that just got in the way, as opposed to a challenge leading to ascendancy. This would have made sense in a movie that wasn't trying to be a romantic comedy at times. Overall, the film was a disappointment.
This movie is a sappy hybrid of a romantic comedy in the vein of Noel Coward and an inspirational story for adolescents along the lines of "Dead Poets Society". Setting it in Maine made it seem even more implausible and awkward. Clive Owen does a good American accent, but I think he is less powerful without his normal voice. Juliette Binoche held up her end better, but the role wasn't really suited to her talent.
The teenagers were very teenager-like. Hammy and overly emotional. Adding veterans like Bruce Davison and Amy Brenneman didn't really help much, since their parts were very superficial. Christian Scheider stood out in the role of Owen's son, reacting to his father's alcoholism.
Alcoholism was showcased excessively. Sobriety was a terse footnote. The chronic disease of Binoche's character was portrayed as just a drag, something that just got in the way, as opposed to a challenge leading to ascendancy. This would have made sense in a movie that wasn't trying to be a romantic comedy at times. Overall, the film was a disappointment.