The Hollars (2016)

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

Go in cold, and you're likely to emerge with your blood boiling. This has to be seen to be believed.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

A story of dynamics in a small modern family and how love brings theme closer after many challenges.

John Krasinski's 'The Hollars' is all heart. And that's precisely why this family-dramaedy shines so bright. With Krasinski calling the shots & acting in one hand, along-with an ensemble ready to leave you awe-inspired on the other, its hard to refuse 'The Hollars', despite its predictable plot.'The Hollars' Synopsis: A man returns to his small hometown after learning that his mother has fallen ill and is about to undergo surgery.'The Hollars', for all it stands for, is about Family & Love. Where would one be without a Family? The Hollars are flawed, but that's how us Humans work, amidst this ride called "LIFE". Krasinski treats the narrative with realism & makes sure you have a smile on your face once this story concludes. I liked The Hollars, all of them, this family of four, full of madness, secrets, regrets, but above-all, there for one another at its most crucial moments. Krasinski is self-assured at his job here & his Direction is skillfully done. He has the knack of a true filmmaker! James C. Strouse's Writing is strong. The emotions bloom out beautifully & the humor, though brief, works wonders whenever its put in. Cinematography is first-class. Editing is neatly done. Art & Costume Design are good.Performance-Wise: Krasinski is a fine actor & 'The Hollars' is a yet another reminder of that fact. He's nicely restrained in the central role. Richard Jenkins & Margo Martindale are Acting Jewels. Jenkins is faultless as the overtly emotional, subtly devastated Hollar Sr., who doesn't miss a single beat. Martindale, meanwhile, steals the show! In a role that demands a performer of true merit, Martindale chews on the character & offers soul in abundance. Sharlto Copley is in form after a long time. He shines here. Anna Kendrick is natural to the core, as always. Charlie Day can do better for himself in the world of acting, as he's marvelous here. Mary Elizabeth Winstead is cute in a small cameo. Randall Park is decent. On the whole, 'The Hollars' is a Winner. This one's right from the heart, made with a genuine sense of feeling.

"You thought it was a weight thing?!" John Hollar (Krasinski) is getting ready to be a father when he learns that his mother (Martindale) is in the hospital with a brain tumor. He flies back home and joins his dysfunctional family. While trying to help and be there for his mother he also is dealing with the possible bankruptcy of his father's business, his angry brother and the unstable husband of his ex-girlfriend. This is a fantastic movie. The comedy is witty, quick and perfectly timed. The drama is heart wrenching and emotional without feeling cheesy or melodramatic. Everyone of the actors plays their part perfectly and that adds to the overall feel of the movie. This is a movie that flew under the radar, but those that find it will see one of the best movies of the year. Overall, a movie that deserves a bigger audience than it will get. One of the top ten movies of the year and one that I can not possibly recommend more. I easily give this an A+.

"The Hollars" is a film I had heard about for a while mainly because of the actors, particularly Krasinski, Kendrick and Martindale. When I finally got around to watching it, it was exactly what I expected and also nothing like I expected at the same time. And here's why: The plot has been done many times before. Dysfunctional family is brought together by an illness or some kind of conflict. Each has their own personal struggles which run under the surface of the main plot. Family realises that the true happiness in life is each other. "The Hollars" manages to do that a little differently, although that's not necessarily a good thing...The movie simply has too much going on to ever really focus on one storyline in enough depth to make it succeed. The main plot that is detailed in the summary regarding Sally Hollar's illness almost seems like a subplot at sometimes, taking the backseat to John's drama or Ron's drama or Don's drama. Yes, those are their names. I like that each character is complex with their own personal lives outside of the story arc, but too many things are focused on when more time could have been spent with Margo Martindale's terrific performance than with Josh Groban. I was also particularly confused at the brevity of some of the story lines that ran throughout. Once it was introduced, I expected the storyline with Mary Elizabeth Winstead's unhappy Gwen and her husband, Jason who also happens to be Sally's nurse and John's old classmate. Oh yeah, Gwen is also John's ex girlfriend. But John is now dating and having a baby with Rebecca. You can read how 'Gossip Girl' it all sounds. Thankfully, there are some strong points. The soundtrack was lovely, highlighting some really poignant moments that needed no dialogue. I don't think any dialogue would have made them work but the music was really lovely. Krasinski seems to know what he's doing in terms of direction and his performance was good, too. Not exceptional, but it was a lead performance. Though it's the supporting actors that take the spotlight this time around. Anna Kendrick spent the first half of the movie trying to find out who her character actually was and then redeemed herself in the second half. Richard Jenkins had a strong outing as Don Hollar, though the bouts of crying were a tad excessive and over-dramatised at points. Sharlto Copley was good, too, standing out as a true supporting actor. Others such as Charlie Day and the aforementioned Mary Elizabeth Winstead were convincing in their small roles. But really it's Martindale who steals the show. Predictably. It's a role she could really nail. I'm proclaiming her the queen of supporting roles, for she always make them more like a lead. She always brings a certain charm to her roles that make you want more of her. Having seen her shine in "The Americans" and "The Good Wife", I was excited to see her performance. And what a turn it is. Martindale does what she does best. Acts the hell out of any character. If the awards season wasn't plagued with outstanding acting performances all around, Martindale could potentially have been a contender with the right voters.