Review of The Messenger (2009) by Ryan M — 01 Nov 2010

When I saw the trailer, I was very excited for this film--because I love Woody Harrelson and I thought that the theme could really make for a powerful story.

Boy was I disappointed.

As a whole, it is a film that is struggling for a feeling of wholeness and purpose. I understand that the character of Ben Foster may inhabit those traits--but I'm of the sort that likes a film to have spirit and this just tread water.

The trouble I feel is that The Messenger doesn't feel organic and the dialogue is just flat, unreal, and too expositional.

Trouble number two is Jena Malone whose acting in the first scenes is so far afield from engaging, or believeable it sets the film off to a limping start. (Those scenes could have been easily postponed, and I wish that we would have just right off with the notification assignment scene).

There's an improvisational theatre game called "Your Oscar Moment" that parodies the style of over eager writing and melodramatic acting and I felt like this movie was unwittingly broaching that territory.

Sure, its a film about types of grief and loss and the ways that broken and hurting people depend on each other. I can dig it. This film just never paid off for me in characters, relationships, or tone.

Woody Harrelson is of course great as always and gives his character interesting notes no matter what he's doing.

Bottom line: skip it...wish I could say otherwise.