Stuck in Love (2013)

Dreadfully Boring

What a freaking movie. So many twists and turns. Absolutely intense from start to finish.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

.Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

Bill Borgens (Greg Kinnear) is an acclaimed author who still pines for his ex-wife Erica (Jennifer Connelly) who left him for another man. He has casual sex with Tricia (Kristen Bell). He pushes his kids to write. His daughter Samantha (Lily Collins) is publishing a book. She insists on avoiding true love until Louis (Logan Lerman) won't let her be. His son Rusty (Nat Wolff) falls for Kate (Liana Liberato) who has a drug problem and a boyfriend problem.Everybody has their own storyline. Writer/director Josh Boone needs to decide what the movie should concentrate on. It's obvious that the mother is the key to the whole movie. Everybody should concentrate on that like a laser. With the mother being a central point, Connelly doesn't have enough screen time.Lily Collins' story feels manufactured. The dialogue feels fake. I know it's fiction but it feels very writery. Her relationship with her mother lacks authenticity and Logan Lerman's mother is too symmetrical.The father's story lacks heat. It does get to a good place but the Kristen Bell part doesn't have any tension. Their relationship has no danger and has no stakes. He is better alone waiting for his ex-wife. At least that has poetry. Instead of Bell's character, the story should develop more with his ex-wife's new husband.The son's story has a couple of good scenes. It's essentially a coming-of-age story that could exist in any number of movies. While I love some of his turns, it has no direct connections to the mother. If this movie is about him, it would make some sense but this feels like a distraction.Overall the movie feels too made-up. There are some good parts and some good scenes. I'm glad Josh Boone made a friend with Stephen King. He's obvious a fan and he's got a couple of movies from King material coming up.

Having seen this film a few times now I have to remind myself to wait a little longer between viewings to try and preserve the beauty of the simplicity and complexity of this film. Yes, that is a contradicting statement but well found, the complexity of the characters own journeys could be seen as difficult to project in a relatively short film however the acting is very good, portraying the jubilations justly and the struggles just enough so that they aren't over dramatised. This coupled with the simple acting and feel of the overall experience. The simple telling of the messed up aspects of peoples lives hand in hand with it's greatest joys (love, family, loyalty etc.).The casting is extremely good, giving life to each character of a well written script by Josh Boone, high praises for Kinnear, Wolff and Liberato. This film is well written, acted and directed even if feeling a little short (possibly adding to the satisfying effect, leaving the viewer wanting more).Highly recommend along with 'Kevin' and 'The First Time'

There won't be any fireworks in the story to catch your attention,but it's a great story written for flawed people that can love, divorce, hurt others or themselves, try to overcome difficulties with rational or irrational ways and at the end find the correct path in life. I loved the movie, I understood and sympathized with the characters. All the actors were great and pretty humane, with Greg Kinnear and Jennifer Connely starring with their down-to earth performance and Lily Collin captivating as the beautiful girl who needed to be saved.What I liked the most is that the movie is emotional but not heartbreaking and that you could have met Borgen's family just round the block.

Sometimes you're in the mood for a gentle, character drama with a simple premise. This is that kind of movie. A writer trying to manage two teenage, aspiring writers who are themselves wrestling with the breakup of their parents marriage. So, there we have it. Sounds like it could be good if written well with some conflict and some emotional draw. Unfortunately this movie is rubbish.We have Bill (Greg Kinnear) idly hanging out in his $15m dollar beach-front show home, overlooking the sea as his two good looking and talented children get published via nepotism and back channels. Occasionally his beautiful neighbor jogs round and has no strings sex with him as well as giving relationship and fashion advice. Bill, however, is holding a flame for his (obviously) beautiful ex wife(Jennifer Connelly) and cannot move on. Boo hoo. Really, I cannot think of a film where I felt so little for the characters. The only character with any bite is Lou (Logan Lerman) who has something about him...but the rest of the cast act about as well I could. Connelly has about as much screen presence as a bucket of paint and Kinnear appears like he is waiting for a part on Grey's Anatomy. I just ended the film thinking: this is going straight to daytime TV as a film to pad out the schedule between cheap cooking shows and Storage Wars.Avoid.