Here’s a film we didn’t see the younger bloggers (and a lot of people) really giving a shit about. But thesps like Martin Landau and Ellen Burstyn (whom we adore) in a story about a late-life courtship that keeps the bachelor Landau in a “constant state of wonderment and surprise”?
Yeah, “Lovely Still” totally sounded like something we’d love to see.
Boy, were we wrong. The film is directed by a 24-year-old video director Nik Fackler — and the kids intentions were on the money. How does one put a fresh twist on a love story? Make it with senior citizens; members of society that obviously don’t get their viewpoint shared in films very often. So we applaud Fackler, for not making us sit through another white-20-somethings-in-love story, but his clumsy handling of what could have been a really sweet film was rather painful at times.
Supported by Adam Scott (the jackass older sibling in “Step Brothers”) and Elizabeth Banks, the acting in the picture was mostly solid, with Burstyn being a total stand-out; but what the script required from Landau was often making him into a hapless fool, and it was embarrassing to watch him flailing around.
There’s also a major plot twist in this film usually reserved for the likes of dildos such as M. Night Shyamalan, which doesn’t help the film’s hackneyed approach one bit. As you can probably tell by our intro and by the piece we did about the music (the film was scored by Bright Eyes members Mike Mogis and Nate Walcott, but apart from one twinkling motif that begins midway through, we didn’t have a lot of super positive things to say about their score, especially in the first half), we wanted to like this film. The idea sounded fresh and winsome. There were even a few moments of true melancholy courtesy of the amazing Bursytn, and a scene or two of genuine bittersweetness. Maybe in a couple years with a bit more work under his belt Fackler can deliver the goods, but as of right now, “Lovely, Still” wasn’t particularly beautiful at all [C].
Concerning “Lovely, Still” the sheltered lives and efforts of these INDE entertainer types has finally come full circle – how slow and wimpy can you go without any substance? Was this written by a fifth grader – because it plays like it was? I sincerely hope the actors recover quickly and this doesn’t hamper any future works – what were they thinking when they agreed to this immature …(pardon the pun on mature)? I guess it really is hard to get work in Hollywood!
Anyone who thinks this film is without substance has spent a short life watching too much Homer Simpson. Both Martin Landau and Ellen Burstyn give stellar performances in this 'golded age' romance with a twist. Nik Fackler seemlessly weaves fantansy and reality into this timeless love story. Landau's performance is Oscar material as is Burstyn's. I had questions about several aspects of the film, but after hearing Nik Fackler say that "all questions are answered in the film if you think about it", I realized he was correct and my questions were answered. A entertaining movie that keeps you thinking hours and even days later.