Far better than most dramas of this sort, and mainly because the overall execution is very strong. The writing, acting and direction here are all quite wonderful. I was surprised and delighted by how funny and interesting the film actually is. Most dramatic films with similar stories, I find tend to get somewhat monotonous by the end. As of course stories such as this are to some degree quite predictable in a fairly major sense. Here however the pacing is exceptional, and the writing is easily good enough to keep the viewer fully involved for the nearly 2 hour ride. This really is a beautifully inspiring family drama. Bravo to all involved. Films like this also help reassure thoughtful people, that it doesn't always have to be about some big payoff at the end. In fact, it's often far more about the entire journey.
I'd also like to note here after reading a few responses from critics. To me it looks like some of them may have skipped this film altogether, and just wrote their review based on the trailer alone. It's easy to see this, because the film looks very standard and predictable in the trailer. However that is not really the feel I got whatsoever while watching the entire film. I decided to take a chance on seeing this because of a couple of factors, and the trailer was definitely not one of them. I in fact almost didn't go see this because of how generic the trailer made the film seem. However this is not at all a generic feeling film because of how well it's put together by the many people involved. So, boo to those critics, and another cheers to all of those who chipped in to bring us this surprisingly excellent film.
8/10.
I'd also like to note here after reading a few responses from critics. To me it looks like some of them may have skipped this film altogether, and just wrote their review based on the trailer alone. It's easy to see this, because the film looks very standard and predictable in the trailer. However that is not really the feel I got whatsoever while watching the entire film. I decided to take a chance on seeing this because of a couple of factors, and the trailer was definitely not one of them. I in fact almost didn't go see this because of how generic the trailer made the film seem. However this is not at all a generic feeling film because of how well it's put together by the many people involved. So, boo to those critics, and another cheers to all of those who chipped in to bring us this surprisingly excellent film.
8/10.