Review of The Grand Seduction (2014) by Daniel L — 24 Dec 2014

McKellar's THE GRAND SEDUCTION sees the reluctant mayor (Brendan Gleeson) of an economically failing harbor seek to pull the members of his town together in order to "seduce" a company into building a factory nearby and thus provide job opportunities for his citizens.

The movie is, overall, a rather endearing piece that romanticizes the concept of home, no matter where that may be. Sometimes the humor seems out of place (in that it doesn't work with the beat or might be deemed too inappropriate), but the over-arching sense of optimism existing in the world of the film is enough to keep things light-hearted and interesting.

Gleeson does especially good work as the downtrodden, but hopeful mayor fighting for the prosperity - and the heart - of his town. His natural delivery and his ability to communicate without relying solely on the text of the script make his interpretation of the character more of a heart-breaking anti-villain than the depressed goof that the lines alone may have conveyed.

The movie features some very vibrant and provocative cinematographic shots as well. Each moment is interesting to behold for both the aesthetic and for desire to see and process all of the acting choices.

The plot feels as if it was approached in an unconcerned attitude at times by throwing caution to the wind in terms of considering plausibility or action-impacts. Additionally, while the story does ultimately do some moral work in regard to the ethics (or lack thereof) of deception, it is also a bit unnecessary in the cinematic "conversation" as a number of other movies have explored similar ground.

The bottom line is that THE GRAND SEDUCTION is fun at times and features a particularly good performance from Gleeson, but is by no means a must-see and perhaps relies a bit too heavily on its ability to try and be quaint.