(If you or someone you know needs help with depression, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or contact a crisis support professional in your area)
This wasn't exactly what I thought it would be.
What I thought this movie was going to be about: a 'dramedy' featuring a father and son moving to a new place for a fresh start following a death in the family; and the funny-awkward trials and tribulations of them stepping into the dating scene.
What this movie was really about: a graphic, raw exploration of depression, mental illness and grief, mostly lacking any laughs whatsoever, with a strange Chariots of Fire-like side story.
I found it a bit slow and hard to get into at first. Then once it sucked me in, it was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster and ordeal. I didn't really want my movie-watching experience tonight to have the word "ordeal" associated with it.
J.K Simmons and Julie Delpy put in strong performances and had surprisingly good chemistry together. Julie Delpy seems to have great chemistry with anyone though, as she has that dreamy, French-girl-in-love role down pat. On the contrary, I found both young leads (Josh Wiggins and Odeya Rush) to lack chemistry and acting chops altogether - they often came across as plain annoying. Josh Wiggins did turn it on for a particular dining table scene with Simmons though.
If you're going through grief, or perhaps enjoyed other coming-of-age films like 'The Perks of Being A Wallflower' then this might be for you. Otherwise, I'd probably pass it in favour of something more light-hearted - or a mental illness drama with a more upbeat feel such as 'Infinitely Polar Bear'.
