Although technically, if it's based on true events (and the opening text lets those two words hang on the screen long enough to make sure you really, really get it) doesn't that make it THE INCREDIBLY IMPROBABLE?
I'm just relieved they made the story about the 2004 tsunami that his Southeast Asia all about white people, so I could watch characters I could care about.
In all seriousness, it was absolutely well made. Tears were jerked, heartstrings were pulled, and the human spirit was once again proven indomitable. But here's the thing, what about all the other victims, who didn't get miraculous reunions? And I don't mean that lightly, the film itself shows a lot of that. They meet several people who are looking for their loved ones, and take lists of names to search for. At one point the eldest son is running through a hospital trying to reunite whomever he can find. In the final scenes, the have several meaningful looks at suffering, lonely victims. The father looks at a piece of paper someone gave him with the names of people to look for. And then...they board a plane to Singapore where the mom will get better medical treatment before they all head home. It was all set up for someone to stand up and say, 'Wait! I want to stay and help other people find their loved ones!' But nobody does...and that makes them seem kind of selfish.
Look, I know this is based on true events so I assume that's how it happened in real life. And I'm pretty darn sure in such a situation I would just want to get the hell out of there. So I'm certainly not criticizing the actual family for not staying and helping out. But I am criticizing the movie for making me feel they should, and then not following through.
Running Time: 114 minutes
My Total Minutes: 311,026
1 comment:
Hi Jason:
Hollywood's casting cowardice here is exactly why I couldn't bring myself to see this film. Hollywood isn't going to get my dollar if they keep making such 'safe'/'lazy' choices.
On a similar tip, this is what ended up bumming me out about THE SESSIONS. But at least they took the effort to include a slightly significant character played by someone with an actual physical disability.
Hollywood doesn't care about me, I know. I just wish films that cast like THE IMPOSSIBLE were what was impossible to make.
Cheers,
Adam
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