Here's a film I have heard nothing about, but I'm anxious for more women to chime in with test screening reviews, and other contributions to balance out the testosterone we guys fling all over these pages. Here's the first look at MOLLY... Take a gander at the Sweeper...
Harry, I'm going to take your approach to reviewing and tweek it a bit. I'm not going to bore you with the tedium of my day. (Perhaps knowing that my days lately are tedious is enough to guess at my state-of-mind.) I will, however, give you my preconceptions before going in.
• First, I'm not a big Elisabeth Shue fan. Yes, I saw Leaving Las Vegas and The Saint and many of her other films ....and I'm still not a big Elisabeth Shue fan. I think she is highly over-rated. Of course, the camera loves her face and that cute smile and that great hair, and she has some jugs, but come on boys, can you look past her to see her bland acting? Plus, when I see her give interviews, she's rather pompus. I don't like it. There is quiet confidence, as seen in Jody Foster, Meryl Streep, Kathy Bates. And then there is pompusness. The later is not becoming.
•Second, when I was given the screening pass, part of the "recruiter's" schitck included, "and I hear Elisabeth Shue is really phenomenal." Barf. Don't tell me what to think before if you want to get an honest opinion out of me later. It makes me think that the studios do these screenings to affirm that they're good enough, smart enough, and dawgonnit, people like their movies, instead of really looking for some honest upper-middle class, educated feedback. But I digress.
•Third, here's the plot summary that was on the screening pass: "'Molly' is a lighthearted, uplifting story about the bond that develops between Molly (Elisabeth Shue), a mentally challenged woman, and her brother Buck. After sharing many humorous and compassionate moments, Buck approves a risky medical procedure that miraculously cures Molly giving her extraordinary mental powers. Her rapid intellectual and emotional growth provides many laughs while forcing Buck to let go and complete his own life." I find this, again like the recruiter's comments, to be "leading the witness" if you will. Lame.
•Fourth, doesn't the plot summary sound a bit like Phenomenon, with John Travolta? Hey, maybe that is why the recruiter called Shue "phenomenal." Maybe it was supposed to be a sort of subliminal message, you know, like, "if you liked Phenomenon, you'll love Molly." I smell people trying to enduce hype. Didn't they read the Newsweek article, Harry? Don't they know that buzz is the preferable reaction? Oh that's right, these exec types probably do a lot of talking and not a lot of reading, even of the Newsweek variety. But again I digress.
•Fifth, not that I'm trying to toot my horn, but just so you know my viewpoint, I am an actor, so I tend to tune into the acting and directing of a piece first, audience manipulation second, and plot and design(scenic, sound, lighting, et al) third. If I don't notice any of these elements, I consider the film to be at masterpiece level because it means that I was so wrapped up that I forgot to analyse. Also, I'm formally educated, so sometimes my observations tend to be analytical rather than visceral. Again, only including this so you know my POV, not to brag.
• What I AM NOT: an angry lesbian; a disgruntled actor, angry because Elisabeth is getting roles and I am not; a smoker; an emotional leaky pipe; a rebounding girlfriend; a grrrl; a guy; a star-struck Harry fanatic trying to get on his good side so that he'll take me with him to the Prequel Screening at the Skywalker Ranch--an event that we all know he'll be invited to; a role-playing gamer, or a Sci-Fi fan, or a D&D person; I've never read the LOTR series, (although I must say that the Peter Jackson involvement on this site has intrigued me); I don't get into the X-Files or Star-Trek. Not that there is anything wrong with these things, they just aren't me.
• What I AM: an average gal, living in South Orange County, CA; a 29, Northern European-American, female; a summa cum Laude graduate for the University of Minnesota (OK, I am bragging); a high school teacher of English; ick, this is starting to sound like a personal ad. I simply love film, as do most of you, and like to think that my review will come from an informed opinion. Hope it helps you to make an informed decision later on down the line.
Needless-to-say, I'm not expecting Citizen Kane. I highly doubt that "Molly" is going to make the AFI's top 100. But I'm going anyway. Wanna know why? Because I'm hoping that maybe I'll be surprised. You never know. It's happened before. In fact, I think that the best movie experiences are not those that live up to your expectations, (like I'm certain Star Wars will do,) but those that surprise you. I'm hoping that it will make me cry. I'm hoping that Elisabeth Shue will change my mind about her abilities. I'm hoping that you all will find it to be worth your $5-8 bucks when it comes to a theatre near you. I just doubt it.
By the way, this background info has been laid down before the screening. I wanted to give you my pure state-of-mind before facing the recruiters again. I'll be back within a few hours to tell you how it went.
MOLLY
Just as I thought. It's really not very good. Not horrible, but not good. Now, as stated above, I don't mind being manipulated, especially if it is deftly done. However, overt manipulation is offensive. It's like walking into a store, trying on a pair of jeans, knowing that they are a bit too tight and that after a piece of pie you might develop camel toe. Then the clerk comes over and tells you that they look great on you. You want to do two things: believe her, and spit in her face. But both, you know, are wrong. Mostly, you want to run out of that store and never return.
If you need a quick Hollywood sell on "Molly," you could describe it as the plot of Awakenings meets a Dustin Hoffman in Rainman/Mickey Rooney in Bill character mix--without DeNiro, Hoffman, or Rooney. Plus, the plot summary handed out by the recuiter's DOES NOT describe the movie that we saw. Molly, does not get extraordinary powers. She does not get "powers" at all. She just becomes less retarded. And Buck is not "forced to let go and complete his own life," and ending which could have improved this movie. Instead he takes her on after she loses her temporary intelligence.
In looking for the good, I'll offer this: Thomas Jane, who plays Molly's love interest is subtly wonderful. At the beginning, there is an uncredited Asian actress who is interesting, but they get rid of her in the first ten minutes. When Elisabeth Shue allows Molly to be free of inhibitions, she's alright, but otherwise her "irregular retard" (the scientific name given to her condition by the movie) takes on most of the broad movie stereotypes of "retards" that we have seen for generations. The actors try to make the most of a mediocre situation, but they are mediocre actors and apparently haven't been given the push that was needed to make this more than it is.
I could go on and on but why bother. It doesn't surprise me that they are going to release this in March when all sorts of dud movies come out. I wanted to like this. I really did. But, well.... What can I say.
Til next time The Sweeper
