Third Person (2013)
I enjoyed this movie so much, I don’t even want to tell you anything about it. I just want you to watch it, then tell your friends to watch it, and tell them to tell their friends to watch it, and then we can all talk about it together. However, since the point of reading a review is to learn a bit about the movie, I’ll have to tell you something.
Third Person strings together unrelated vignettes and manages, despite its long running time, to make you wish it continued for another hour. In one storyline, Liam Neeson is a successful author working on his next novel. He’s married to Kim Basinger, but his mistress Olivia Wilde comes to visit him while he’s in Paris. They have a tumultuous relationship with mind games and emotions flying wild, but fear not: if you find yourself wondering why they keep fighting and making up, all shall be revealed. In another vignette, Adrien Brody is in Italy on business, and while in a dive bar, he falls in love with a stranger. Moran Atias has her own mysterious struggle—as do all the women in the film—involving ransom money, and even though it’s clearly a bad idea to get involved, Adrien can’t help himself. The third story follows Mila Kunis in a custody battle with her ex-husband James Franco. Mila frustrates her lawyer, Maria Bello, with her irresponsibility and bad judgment, but there’s much more to the situation than meets the eye. Each character is fascinating, as he or she sabotages their own goals and near-misses at happiness.
Whatever you do, don’t watch the preview. It’s compelling and dramatic, but it not only shows you the entire movie, including snippets from the end scenes, but it also blows a huge surprise that you’re not supposed to know from the get-go. Just rent this movie, or better yet, buy yourself a copy. This is a movie you’re going to need to watch over and over again to pick up nuances in the story and the actors’ performances. A perfect choice for movie night with your friends, if you all like movies that inspire conversation for weeks afterwards, but it might not be the best choice to watch with your relatives.
Written and directed by Paul Haggis, it’s a sure bet that each scene will feature the perfect amount of screen time before switching to the next character. The pace in this film is impeccable, and the performances are fantastic. While you expect Liam Neeson to be a pro and look sufficiently sad and frustrated, you don’t expect Olivia Wilde to create incredible, indescribable expressions of self-loathing. James Franco is a strong dramatic actor, but who would believe Mila Kunis could keep up with him? Adrien Brody is given the simplest story, and he keeps it afloat by completely fleshing out his character with emotions not included in his spoken lines. You’re going to be so impressed when you watch this movie. The acting, the fluid direction, and the precise, purposeful script are remarkable.
Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to adult content, I wouldn’t let my kids watch it.
More James Franco movies here!
Third Person strings together unrelated vignettes and manages, despite its long running time, to make you wish it continued for another hour. In one storyline, Liam Neeson is a successful author working on his next novel. He’s married to Kim Basinger, but his mistress Olivia Wilde comes to visit him while he’s in Paris. They have a tumultuous relationship with mind games and emotions flying wild, but fear not: if you find yourself wondering why they keep fighting and making up, all shall be revealed. In another vignette, Adrien Brody is in Italy on business, and while in a dive bar, he falls in love with a stranger. Moran Atias has her own mysterious struggle—as do all the women in the film—involving ransom money, and even though it’s clearly a bad idea to get involved, Adrien can’t help himself. The third story follows Mila Kunis in a custody battle with her ex-husband James Franco. Mila frustrates her lawyer, Maria Bello, with her irresponsibility and bad judgment, but there’s much more to the situation than meets the eye. Each character is fascinating, as he or she sabotages their own goals and near-misses at happiness.
Whatever you do, don’t watch the preview. It’s compelling and dramatic, but it not only shows you the entire movie, including snippets from the end scenes, but it also blows a huge surprise that you’re not supposed to know from the get-go. Just rent this movie, or better yet, buy yourself a copy. This is a movie you’re going to need to watch over and over again to pick up nuances in the story and the actors’ performances. A perfect choice for movie night with your friends, if you all like movies that inspire conversation for weeks afterwards, but it might not be the best choice to watch with your relatives.
Written and directed by Paul Haggis, it’s a sure bet that each scene will feature the perfect amount of screen time before switching to the next character. The pace in this film is impeccable, and the performances are fantastic. While you expect Liam Neeson to be a pro and look sufficiently sad and frustrated, you don’t expect Olivia Wilde to create incredible, indescribable expressions of self-loathing. James Franco is a strong dramatic actor, but who would believe Mila Kunis could keep up with him? Adrien Brody is given the simplest story, and he keeps it afloat by completely fleshing out his character with emotions not included in his spoken lines. You’re going to be so impressed when you watch this movie. The acting, the fluid direction, and the precise, purposeful script are remarkable.
Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to adult content, I wouldn’t let my kids watch it.
More James Franco movies here!