Review of Collateral Beauty (2016) by Scott S — 23 Dec 2016

Such a mixed bag. Some great acting, some great lines/themes. Some that completely missed the mark. I wanted to really like this movie. I'm going to say it, Will Smith is a national treasure. Helen Mirrien is a global one. Ed Norton is another one of my favorites.

I liked the good intentions of the characters, if not their way of doing it. I have lost a lot of loved ones in my life, but never a child. So, while I can sort of empathize with Smith's character, I know I can't get all of the way there. Smith's pain and anguish are sometimes palpable and you can really feel for him.

Some of the lines are just a bit too maudlin, though and I wonder if a close rewrite wouldn't have helped some of the script.

Interesting that with the holiday season the film is set in, that it's using a play on A Christmas Carol. A man, in this case in mourning, is visited by three "ghosts" that help him find his way.

Anyway, I love Will Smith and am up for pretty much any movie he's in. I'm just disappointed that the promise of this one wasn't fully realized and it falls just a bit short.