Juliet, Naked (Jesse Peretz, 2018)

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Brian C
I hate to be That Pedantic Guy but...
Joined: Wed Sep 16, 2009 11:58 am
Location: Chicago, IL

Juliet, Naked (Jesse Peretz, 2018)

#1 Post by Brian C » Mon Sep 03, 2018 11:19 pm

Was hoping this would be a relief from the annual late-summer theatrical doldrums, as it came pretty heavily recommended from a friend who saw it earlier in the year at some festival or other. But it's an aggressively middle-of-the-road effort with lifeless performances (aside from a decent turn by Ethan Hawke) and a genuine lack of emotional imagination on the part of the filmmakers. The bones are here for a decent movie, as it deals with real issues that aren't seen in movies very often, but it frankly just never feels like anyone aside from Hawke really gives a shit. Feels like a real wasted opportunity.

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thirtyframesasecond
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2007 1:48 pm

Re: The Films of 2018

#2 Post by thirtyframesasecond » Fri Sep 07, 2018 2:53 am

Brian C wrote:
Mon Sep 03, 2018 11:19 pm
Juliet, Naked (Jesse Peretz, 2018)

Was hoping this would be a relief from the annual late-summer theatrical doldrums, as it came pretty heavily recommended from a friend who saw it earlier in the year at some festival or other. But it's an aggressively middle-of-the-road effort with lifeless performances (aside from a decent turn by Ethan Hawke) and a genuine lack of emotional imagination on the part of the filmmakers. The bones are here for a decent movie, as it deals with real issues that aren't seen in movies very often, but it frankly just never feels like anyone aside from Hawke really gives a shit. Feels like a real wasted opportunity.
It's a Nick Hornby novel, isn't it? I'm guessing it's a man-child who's obsessed about music (or something else), with a girlfriend/wife who's way too good for him and is frustrated by his obsessions. Man comes around to appreciate her. The end.

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Brian C
I hate to be That Pedantic Guy but...
Joined: Wed Sep 16, 2009 11:58 am
Location: Chicago, IL

Re: The Films of 2018

#3 Post by Brian C » Fri Sep 07, 2018 9:04 am

You got the setup right but not really the payoff.

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Roger Ryan
Joined: Wed Apr 28, 2010 12:04 pm
Location: A Midland town spread and darkened into a city

Re: The Films of 2018

#4 Post by Roger Ryan » Fri Sep 07, 2018 12:16 pm

Depending on how much tolerance you have for Hornby's tropes, I found Juliet, Naked to be one of the best adaptations of his work. Not as strong as High Fidelity, but certainly better than About A Boy, Fever Pitch, and A Long Way Down. I found the entire cast appealing and I admired how the film avoided mawkishness. Plus, a great soundtrack; you can't go wrong choosing "Waterloo Sunset" to be showcased in your film.

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