I thought about half of this movie was very bland. Technically well shot scenes, good music, but the characters were very closed off and emotionally disconnected from each other and the viewer. Casting was a bit odd for the characters' ages. Functionally the first half felt like 45 minutes of 2 autistic friends bonding over The Pink Opaque (aka a show like H20, Goosebumps, Buffy etc) and then it takes a dark turn. The last third of the movie is awkwardness turned creepy. Almost schizophrenic dissociation mixed with gender dysphoria. Plus Connor O'Malley as a movie theater employee? But still only barely horror, like the analog/youtube horror genre where creepiness = vhs effects and a gross face. It feels like the movie saying "this is scary!" and me thinking "Wow this is just really awkward!"
I felt that the first half could have done better at establishing the characters. The only thing I understand about Owen and Maddy is that they each have an abusive parent and they like The Pink Opaque. I also think that Maddy would make the more interesting lead character, rather than Owen. Simply because Maddy experiences a journey of change and absurdity. Owen's character doesn't change on the surface, only internally, and that's hard to keep track of through the movie as it is. It was also hard to care about Owen's mom, with how little he seemed to care about her.
Stylistically its very fun. 4th wall breaking and cool framing. Way too much neon lighting though, and the 4th wall breaking never amounted to much that was interesting, because it happened during flat, monotone monologues, where the characters dryly summarize changes in the plot and look directly imto the camera. This is practically the main method of delivering plot, and it kind of sucks. I found myself laughing hysterically in the theater, because the dry monologues are so awkward and dire. Some of the lines are absolutely insane and my only reaction was to just laugh.
"I was working at the ball pit.. restocking the balls." "Mr. Melancholy took me and fed me his luna juice. And I went back there and found both of our hearts, still beating." "I paid a boy $50 to bury me alive. I got a casket, in a grave, and got in."
I'm misquoting it surely, because I just saw the movie. But this kind of dire, awkward surreal stuff would have been so nice to have at the start of the movie. It's just so plain until the trippy stuff starts, and fills a very basic teen movie drama for 2/3rds of its run-time.
7/10 for making me laugh maniacally in a quiet theater, your rating may vary wildly based on how patient you are with A24's trademark melancholy teen drama style.
I felt that the first half could have done better at establishing the characters. The only thing I understand about Owen and Maddy is that they each have an abusive parent and they like The Pink Opaque. I also think that Maddy would make the more interesting lead character, rather than Owen. Simply because Maddy experiences a journey of change and absurdity. Owen's character doesn't change on the surface, only internally, and that's hard to keep track of through the movie as it is. It was also hard to care about Owen's mom, with how little he seemed to care about her.
Stylistically its very fun. 4th wall breaking and cool framing. Way too much neon lighting though, and the 4th wall breaking never amounted to much that was interesting, because it happened during flat, monotone monologues, where the characters dryly summarize changes in the plot and look directly imto the camera. This is practically the main method of delivering plot, and it kind of sucks. I found myself laughing hysterically in the theater, because the dry monologues are so awkward and dire. Some of the lines are absolutely insane and my only reaction was to just laugh.
"I was working at the ball pit.. restocking the balls." "Mr. Melancholy took me and fed me his luna juice. And I went back there and found both of our hearts, still beating." "I paid a boy $50 to bury me alive. I got a casket, in a grave, and got in."
I'm misquoting it surely, because I just saw the movie. But this kind of dire, awkward surreal stuff would have been so nice to have at the start of the movie. It's just so plain until the trippy stuff starts, and fills a very basic teen movie drama for 2/3rds of its run-time.
7/10 for making me laugh maniacally in a quiet theater, your rating may vary wildly based on how patient you are with A24's trademark melancholy teen drama style.