Image credits: imdb
Hi bitLanders! I am bringing you another personal movie review as a support for Women Empowerment brought to you by "The bitLanders Film Series". Today's movie is a cheesy movie entitled "Home Again".
As I was looking at the movie poster, I can't totally judge right away what this was all about but the tag, "Starting over is not for beginners" was very catchy most especially to women like me. So I went on checking on the trailer, see below:
Video credits: Hallie_Meyers_Shyer via bitLanders
Here's an information about the movie from wikipedia.org:
Home Again is a 2017 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Hallie Meyers-Shyer, in her directorial debut. It stars Reese Witherspoon, Nat Wolff, Jon Rudnitsky, Pico Alexander, Michael Sheen, and Candice Bergen, and follows a 40-year-old single mother who allows three young aspiring filmmakers to live with her in her Los Angeles home.
Plot
Image credits: latimes
Alice played by Reese Witherspoon was a 40-year-old separated from his husband for five months. She returns to Los Angeles together with her two daughters. She got herself in a little complicated situation when she met this group of three aspiring filmmakers, one of them she became romantically linked.
The movie started with the main protagonist telling a story of his dad, John Kinney, a film director who had a very successful career but who also has his own love issues. But after all these issues, he stayed as a good father that she adored that's why she knew so much about him as well as his different women but still prefer to talk more of his positive side.
Image credits: sky
Intricate situations had also opened up the scene with Reese crying over something in the first part. Then the first days of schools for her daughters, then her husband missing out on that special day but in fairness, he didn't forget her birthday and most importantly her work as a start-up designer.
On her birthday, she had dinner with her friends who were trying to get her to meet some new guys but she stressed about how she is just separated for a short time, however, over a few minutes, she met young and broke filmmakers who had no place to stay.
Image credits: traileraddict
Eventually, she had hosted them in her guest room and the story began to become even messier. But could things be the same when the husband comes back at home?
Casts
Reese Witherspoon
This "Legally Blonde" actress played Alice, the single mom who bumped herself and somehow got three guys staying at her guest room.
Image credits: traileraddict
Obviously, Reese is such a good actress, she sure gave fairness to this role and I had always wondered how she felt when she had that romantic scenes together with the young 27-year-old Harry. Perhaps that was awkward but she's definitely used to those, its just work.
Pico Alexander
Played as Harry Dorsey, one of the filmmakers but more importantly, Alice’s love interest. He's young, tall and very charming.
Image credits: ew.com
This character was only good at being cheesy and there might be many movies with this type of personality but for some reasons, I felt like he was overacting to the point that it appeared like I was watching a teenage romantic anime, that of the likes of Fushigi Yuugi, but that was one of my favorite cartoon movies though so don't get me wrong.
Michael Sheen
The music producer and Alice's husband. He's referred as Austen Blume, and Isabel and Rosie’s father.
Image credits: productplacementblog
Seriously, he as a father failed so much in this movie. I can't imagine a father missing out on his daughters' first day of school and won't get time to see them in five months! That's totally unreal!
Home Again Movie Review
The first movie directed by Nancy Meyers' daughter, Hallie Meyers-Shyer was not the most unique kind of story, she wrote the story by the way. We all have heard and seen something similar to this but in respect to Reese Witherspoon's acting, I had continued watching the film until the end, it was not a long film though.
Image credits: click2houston
Although I found some parts of the film entertaining and fun, I can't deny the fact that there were several overacting scenes, they were obviously cheesy and very predictable. I guess everyone watching it would already know what will be the end of the story.
Image credits:durangoherald
The movie had significantly shown a common "directed" vibe, where most of the conversations between the characters have been given enough time to react and retract and respond. Notice that "Do I Know You" scene with Harry, Alice and Alice's mom exchanging reactions and statements? It's very unnatural. It was very scripted and transition-wise, it was not so convicting.
Watch this scene below to have an idea:
Video credits: Movieclips Coming Soon via YouTube
I can say that I didn't like it that much except that I was more interested into the designing part, the way the house was decorated, the tones of the interiors and I love the green lushes of Alice's house. I love the idea of having guest rooms separated from the main house and that there's a garden between the two buildings.
However, I felt like there was not much focus on that too. There was just a few of it here and there. But kudos to Reese Witherspoon for accepting this comedy type of film, however, the story and the character didn't seem to fit well with the current timeline given that it was released in 2017, even the connection of her being a daughter of a film director who was introduced as a famous one was not given great application too!
Image credits: brentwoodnewsla
And finally, whenever I watch a movie, I would try to look for whatever lesson I can take away with it. What I have learned was that I shouldn't do whatever Alice in the movie did. I should learn that as a mother and of age 40, I should have been wiser with my decisions. Also, being nice doesn't mean getting tangled with several men in a home where there's no father material and most especially, never to get attached with a relationship that has no label and no commitment.
If you had watched it, how do you find the movie? Let me know in the comments section below!
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About the author:
Jean Beltran-Figues is a photography enthusiast.
A traveler who wants to promote her beloved country, the Philippines.
