The Hero (2017)

I gave it a 7.5 out of 10

I have absolutely never seen anything like this movie before. You have to see this movie.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

One of those movie experiences that is so good it makes you realize you've been grading everything else on a curve.

My wife and I are retired and watch movies for relaxation and enjoyment. This one was disappointing, to say the least. We expected Sam Elliott to be portrayed as the laid back, yet wise, and lovable curmudgeon that that was a vital part of his past demeanor in Hollywood land. There were traces of that in the film but that was overshadowed by him not acting as the actor we expected as an integral part of, yet aloof from the rest; but as an aging pot head and druggy indulging in behavior a bit extreme for his age, at least in the main. It would have been put to a fitter portrayal by a younger more vigorous actor who viewers would understand as seemingly plausible. The director and writers have either attempted to place their own agenda into an unlikely scenario---and have missed the mark. As for us. It was a waste of time.

An ailing movie star comes to terms with his past and mortality. Thanks to an amazing and inspiring perfomance from Sam Elliot (who is better than ever) The Hero provides a moving and intelligent love story about 2 people with a big age difference but also the meaning of life and true love and how one role can change one person's life forever and become an icon threw that. (9/10)

The Hero does not live up to where movies of the same genre do (the Wrestler, Crazy Heart) in that we're made well aware of the protagonist's past in order to advance the plot. Unfortunately, the Hero fails short in that it leaves Sam Elliot left to pick up a script devoid of virtually any background. Instead of using the past to build his future, this movie leaves his past and attempts to build a new character. Not at all what I hoped for.

A fine little movie with a great cast and a superb tone of melancholy. A little love story, aging, death, loneliness, reconciliation, and the trial about one's life's achievements - The Hero is a quiet movie with all the great themes of human existence. Sam Elliot plays the lead just exquisite and convincing, and the performances of his side-kicks Laura Prepon, Krysten Ritter and Nick Offerman give him a lot to work with and the right canvas for his play. The Hero is an emotional, sad and contemplative movie with some bright spots and fine humor refined with some poetic works by Edna St. Vincent Millay. Alone the reading of the poem Dirge Without Music by Laura Prepon at the end of the movie... A movie for a mature audience.