Standard
This might not be fair, but I'm getting a bit tired of all the gloomy character dramas dominating this year's line-up. I understand why actors are drawn to stories that prioritize the "who" of a story over the "what", but as an audience member, I'm starting to crave a good, juicy, vigorous plot. Sadly, that's not the case with Manglehorn.
David Gordon Green has made a return to the serious side of things with a movie about an old curmudgeon forced to soften up in his twilight years ( sound familiar?). He's a romantic who can't get over a lost love. So much so that he's completely oblivious to the charms of the new woman in his life, played by Holly Hunter. The film is small in scale, but not without some charming moments (like a spontaneous musical outburst in a bank), and one strangely ambitious transition shot of a highway traffic pile-up (which probably cost the film half its budget). But aside from these nice flourishes, there's not a whole lot to get excited about—with the exception of Holly Hunter, of course, who the festival (and the world) can always use a little more of.
Sincerely,
Christopher
