Review of Men, Women & Children (2014) by Charlotte L — 24 Sep 2014

Like father like son? Ivan Reitman was a powerhouse of the 80s and 90s but just went away. Then last decade, Jason his son took by storm to greatness in Juno and (well I think I was a bit hard on it at the time) Up in the Air and (it had it's moments) Young Adult.

Labour Day stumbled to get Academy nods, and now we have Men, Women and Children. Another film probably vying for one of the 9 (yup it's that predictable) Oscar slots. Sadly, MWC doesn't feel special enough to really feel like a winner like Juno.

It has a lot of good moments, but a lot of moments that just don't seem developed enough. Ansel Elgot and Kaitlyn Dever really drive the film and have the most satisfying arc along with Dean Noris.

It's conventional Romeo and Juliet fare, but at least it felt resolved. Judy Greer and Jennifer Garder are also ok as moms who push too far, albeit with different results and motivations, but at least are interesting enough on screen.

The problem is the rest of the cast (yes there is still more!). I usually like Sandler's different movie roles from his schtick, and while it's fresh that he doesn't play a dumb schlub with fart jokes (entirely), his arc with his family along with Olivia Crocicchia as (the actress daughter) and Elena Kampouris (the starving girl) never feels finished.

It's a shame too since Crocicchia was probably my favourite part of the film. In a way, the film feels necessary since it hits on all of our problems with the Internet compared to showing a film from the early 00s where it was mainly Y2K and "don't open spam emails".

Our lives on the internet have evolved and at times Men, Women and Children shows that and the complexities along with the simplicities it has brought us. It's also kind of light humour in the melodramatic score and tone of the film, but never reaches dark enough.

The problem is you know these characters won't be punished, even though they know they've done wrong. And when something wrong happens, you don't feel the full gravity of it really unless something truly tragic happened.

Regardless, Men, Women and Children is a return to form for Reitman in many ways, a thought provoking piece like Up in the Air and good for all the kids like Juno. I just wish there wasn't so many "white girls just want oral" jokes.