Men, Women & Children (2014)

Some things I liked some I did not.

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

The trailer is rather heavy, but be warned the actual movie is totally different!I really love some of director Jason Reitmans work, but this movie was forced upon Reitman by the hollywood studios, after his last movie flopped. Reitman had little control over the end product. His talent still shines through, but the end product is a boring mess, because the studios began interferring with the creative process in order to sell this depressing story at the box office. It failed miserably anyway...The problem is that this movie starts out pretty good. When I started watching it, I really was into it. Because of the great actors in it, I got seduced in watching it anyway, thinking it would be another great Reitman movie. WRONG. This is one of those movies that slowly grinds to a halt. The story is just a mess. There are way to many different characters. The movie lasts for 2 hours! Probably it is trying to be true to the story of the original book, but films that literally copy the storyline of books are often complete failures at the box office.The Internet in itself is neither good nor bad, it's how it's used that matters. Reitman tries to tackle the matter of how technology is retarding the way we relate to one another. For those who just came out of a cave and have never heard of the internet, yes for those ex-cave dwellers this would be the ideal movie! For anyone else this movie wil work better than a sleeping pill, because it is mindnumbingly boring and pointless.

The film is a messy, chaotic mishmash of sub-plots that predictably fail to amalgamate into one overall, coherent plot. Though little is resolved at the end, the movie isn't a complete waste of time, if only for the pleasure of seeing Adam Sandler play a normal human being for a change. The film tries to be a cautionary tale both for and against the Internet and its misuse, abuse, and overuse, but it fails both ways, and ends up canceling itself out. It tries to remind us that despite the internet - or, perhaps because of it - we are still real, live human beings, with flesh and blood and wants and needs and desires and lusts and fears and angst, but we already knew that since about 2004, so it's about a decade too late.

It's hard to see why this movie has a lowish score. It's one of a few movies that steps up to the mark to offer some thought provoking content, some insight into our human condition, where we are and where we're going. It should be that that is a special thing in our films but it kind of is, and it should be applauded for doing it and doing it well, treating the audience with intelligence and like it has a comprehension level above an 8 year old. Full marks for all that. And extra points too for giving Adam Sandler a non comedy role. I don't know why he doesn't just stick to roles like this that he excels at, or at least doesn't make you hate him for. The young actors were all exceptional in their deliveries, subtle and understated, no cartoon characters here. There's a lot to think about in this movie and it doesn't take sides and try to push an agenda so much as give you multiple ways of looking at the world we're living in. Definitely worth watching and worth the time invested in it. Not something you can say for many movies these days.

This is a film that really touches your heart and tugs on a string or two. If you have lost touch with what life is really like for regular (albeit white) middle class Americans - this is an excellent afternoon watch with hubby or your teens. It will certainly create some interesting discussions.Nowadays Hollywood only seems to portray the super-perfect or the violent aspects of teen life or the life of married couples. This is the first film I've seen that lets you know what life is really like in the wake of these Hollywood stereotypes in Middle America. I was less shocked and more heartbroken to see how everyone still had the same needs and feelings as everyone always has (love, hurt, rage, desire, ambition, jealousy) only now texting, sexting, and online dating have taken everything to a whole new level. While I found the movie to be eye-opening and sometimes almost too heartbreaking to watch - in the end it was good to know that even though we middle Americans may have lots of new gizmos to assuage the daily pain we go through - in the end we are all still human.