Review of Stillwater (2021) by Jluis_001 — 14 Aug 2021

My expectations were perhaps too big in the face of the very basic drama that Tom McCarthy ends up delivering.

All the execution, drama, tension and mystery are from inside the box. There's no outside thinking for more engaging ideas.

Even Matt Damon's good performance is just normal and moderate, nothing exceptional, just him doing his job in a good way.

While Abigail Breslin isn't given much that she can explore and it's understandable, because Damon is the star, but certainly everything around him is too conventional and one-dimensional.

The drama is entertaining, it's true, but it's also absolutely ordinary.

What it builds is totally predictable, this even despite the quality.

That's why Stillwater feels like a movie that plays all its card in the safest way possible, and never tries to risk anything.

Only the conclusion gives it a different depth because it gives another perspective to what Damon's character risked, but that's only in the final minutes.