Review of Collateral Beauty (2016) by Brent_Marchant — 17 Dec 2016

An admittedly manipulative and somewhat sappy offering that nevertheless redeems itself with its heartfelt earnestness, clever premise and stellar performances among most of the principals. To be sure, the writing could have been crisper (especially in the first 30 minutes), and the sentimentality could have been turned down a few notches, yet the film also provides viewers with ample thoughtfulness about how to view life's big issues.

In an age of rampant smugness and cynicism (and even more smug and cynical film critics), it's refreshing to see a movie come along that doesn't apologize for its own forthright emotionalism or its willingness to rely on a little out-of-the-box magic to make its point.

(Remember, no one liked "It's a Wonderful Life" when it was originally released either.