The Giant Mechanical Man (2012)

What a beautiful movie!

Some things I liked some I did not.

Let's be realistic.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

"It only takes just one person to make you feel special and valid and like you belong in the world."If you believe the above statement, you will likely appreciate this sentimental movie. Set in the big city, Tim is the title's under-appreciated street performer who has a job he loves but one which does not pay the bills or seem grown-up enough to his friends and family. Jenna has had a series of jobs which were mind-numbing and pointless, but she has now run out of options including relationships. Circumstances have these two finding jobs at the local zoo, finding each other, and finding…well you can guess the rest.And while we have seen many other films of people looking for their soul-mates and magically finding them when they least expected, this film avoids many of the typical rom-com clichés and provides a look-see into the world of two sympathetic non-conformists.

This movie has stayed with me, and probably will for a very long time. I like the feeling that the movie has. Janice and Tim are different and then they find each other. It brings hope to people like them in the real world. Like you and me, who wonder why the world is such a strange place. So unforgiving and shallow. Is there more to life than these days coming and going? Then, suddenly, out of the blue, we meet. Opening doors and shining a light and our boat glides into calm waters. I do like the female lead, and the fact that she has cats in real life. She is a special actor. The movie is romantic, philosophical and down to earth.

This is a great movie that doesn't try too hard. Most films don't focus on the lives of people who almost, but don't quite fit in. The first few minutes establish the kinds of characters that the protagonists aren't, and perhaps this part is a little overdone. Barring these few minutes, the rest of the movie is a treat. There's some good music in the soundtrack, very appropriate for the mood it's trying to convey. In this vein, "Remember me as a time of day" by Explosions in the Sky is a great tune to have in the background when things are going well in life, when you've got someone to think about who fits in well with the general scheme of your life or is probably responsible in part for the good bits life has to offer. Subdued, soft lighting, a plausible script that doesn't fight to always be clever or funny, great direction and earnest acting make this movie well worth your an hour and a half of your time.

I see film after film after film, ( partly because I have no life at the moment ...ha ) and rarely do I a come across a Jewel like this. I cannot believe that most of us don't struggle with not knowing what you want or who you are and what you're supposed to do. The moments of fate in this film seem very hard to believe but possible I suppose. I'd like to find that one person to make me feel like I belong too. This film makes me want to wish I had a reset button so that I could see it over and over again for the first time. Chris Messina was effortless and the chemistry between him and Jenna Fischer was magical. I'll see this film again and again...