Every Thing Will Be Fine

source: Every Thing Will Be Fine

My wife and I are movie buffs. Our times date back when films were only shown in B/W. But I'm writing this review, so I must speak for myself. I mention that because in my younger film watching years I would probably find this production from director Wim Wenders and writer Bjorn Olaf Johannessen as slow-moving, unexciting cinema. However with age, it isn't wisdom that necessarily arrives,but life experiences. The movie is about an accidental death of a child on a wintry afternoon. The driver of the vehicle, Tomas, played by James Franco, walks to the residence of the victim.... From this point on we become engaged with the child's mother, the driver's life, his relationships with his friends, his father, his agent (he's a writer) and other persons one meets. The film, as in life, just goes along at a slow pace, now and then highlighted by some excitement, tragedy, or a good event. You witness people through their various moods, faults, blessings, shortcomings,and behavior swings: in other words--- acting human. I highly recommend this film and consider it a cinematographic work of art.

This blew my mind. I immediately sat down and began to write the poetry that will make me rich and famous! It is a sad movie. One punk dies and they don't even show it! Shame on you Wim for not showing the gore! The writer sleeps with the punk's mother. The don't have sex. She cradles him like a dog. He can't make kids. He's senile middle aged---probably had his prostate removed when he was ten! Not virile. But writes novels that gets awards and gives him a fancy home and he's a chick magnet! This show rocks. Later someone pisses on his bed, but it makes no sense to me. There's smiles and sunlight. There's reading to ease panic. This guy does not like writers. This he quotes.

For reviewer in1984, you don't get out much do you, or rather you haven't traveled the world much....You know just because your parents have an accent (no matter where from) while speaking the English language does not mean they're children will possess those accents. Both my parents are British, I have 5 brothers and sisters, none of us have a British accent, there's a reason for this, hopefully you can figure it out. Your observation on this detail of the movie was not only unimportant, it was a complete lack of knowledge and experience with such ideas on your part. The film lacked some substance but overall was watchable. Although I would not spend money to own it.

with an interesting ending. James Franco as writer Thomas Eldan is pulling on all of his mystery moody self (as he so expertly did in 'Shadows & Lies') but here in this movie - not so much. It's a long haul story of him having to cope with a tragic accident on a very snowy day. He suffers, his wife suffers, his career suffers, other people suffer .... there is a lot of emotional suffering going on here. And it continues for about 12 years (if I correctly recall). Eventually he returns to the surface of life and the suffering and guilt seem to have past. Unfortunately the past comes back, only this time as an adult. This is where the story becomes interesting because there is a level of tension and unknown intentions. Will there be another tragedy? Will there be revenge? The situation becomes edgy! You will have to watch to see what happens. Director: Wim Wenders (in my opinion) fails to project out to the viewer the misery Thomas Eldan must suffer because Franco really doesn't seem to care. It's just a part - act it out. Which doesn't make this an altogether bad movie, it just makes it long. And Wim Wenders is a famous director!

I came into this movie with low expectations, but was pleasantly surprised to find a well crafted, affecting story. The plot itself is very simplistic. So much so that one begins to wonder if this idea could be made into an almost two hour movie. But that is where this movie begins to show its' genius. Time itself, it seems is under study in this movie. A tragic accident occurs. A young boy is killed. And the next 90+ minutes reveals the effect it has, not only to the main characters involved, but also the people that they love. It is beautifully shot and well acted. It tugs at your heart strings, but never so roughly that you will notice that you yourself are being affected by the passage of time. Many of the events that occur seem logical and are character revealing. It's hard to dislike this movie. It just goes to show that even the most mundane of ideas can bear rich fruit.

This movie is an absolute delight for the senses. The cinematography and soundtrack are stunning. There are many jaw-dropping moments where one can't figure out how the lighting could be so gorgeous, and the soundtrack adds a level of beauty that lends tangibility to this profound story of forgiveness and acceptance. If you watch this at home, dim the lights and put the phone on airplane mode, because you don't want to miss a moment of this delicious sensual feast. If you are fortunate enough to be able to see it in 3D on the big screen, bring along your favorite loved one and share the experience. Did I forget to mention the director? Anyone who has followed the cinema of Wim Wenders knows of his unique ability to conjure a magic like no other. It's like looking through a window of his eyes, noticing the things only he sees, the feelings he only he senses. Obviously, this is not for everyone, and there are expectations of a more traditional form of storytelling for some. But the man is a poet, telling the things that can not be told, showing the things that can not be seen. It seems as though Mr. Wenders has used this magic with each of the actors, as there are many moments when one watches the expression of the mysterious emotions that emerge in this powerful story without a word. A true feather in the cap for James Franco, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Rachel McAdams. They each explore new techniques and territories in their acting, and work wonderfully with each other.

It happens rarely that I disagree with the majority of the film critic reviews to such an extent as with this film. So, without repeating the plot here for the hundredth time, I'd like to jump straight into it: Contrary to the general feeling of slowness and flatness of the film, I feel that the story and the script called just for this sort of painfully slow, cinematic and gently nuanced filmmaking and Wenders is the master of this type of cinema. Yes, there are clichéd conversation exchanges including the somewhat melodramatic ending, however, the more alert viewer will have already been warned in advance that such will be the case in a scene right before the final sequence, so one is not surprised and can enjoy Tomas' agony to the very last second. Also, I very much enjoyed the cinematography and music, which is the best company to the lonely and painful journey Tomas is going through - a guilt and inner scar that is there to stay for life and one can only have little hope to get rid of such a stone ever. There was also a comment of one reviewer about the flatness and "lack of arc" of the female characters in the story. I disagree that this is the film's flaw - quite the contrary again - it is only very well crafted as such - as the women (actually, as well as Tomas' editor and father) only appear sort of "at the periphery" of his life, doomed never to fully understand his inner notions - a combination of a struggle as a lonely artist only topped by the tremendous guilt and pain he has to live with. The only meaningful connection he has - amazingly perverted, yet understandable at the same time - is with Kate, portrayed - yet again - so mesmerizingly by Gainsbourg, that can hardly breathe during their scenes together. The only flaw that I see in this film is the casting of Franco as Tomas. I don't really understand this choice because even though he is a great actor, this role, I feel could have been better fit to a less "boyish" actor, who could grasp all the weariness of Tomas' everyday grey and burdensome reality a bit better.. However, Franco does his best here and it shows he does get the thin line he has to walk on never to flip the character into too much melodramatic position. So, overall, quite an achievement again for Wenders and the whole crew for keeping this film balancing on the thin edge of the knife the film's tone depends on.

According to German director Wim Wenders, "Landscape is never only landscape. It's also a state of mind… it has soul and then it evokes and reflects who we are." That state of mind is revealed in the chilly winter portraits of rural Quebec in Wenders' latest film Everything Will Be Fine, his first fictional feature in almost ten years. Shot in 3-D by Belgian cinematographer Benoît Debie, the film stars James Franco as Tomas Eldan, a successful novelist who is fairly comfortable but whose relationships are not nurturing, especially that with his girlfriend Sara (Rachel McAdams). Tomas' life is permanently changed, however, when an auto accident on a snowy road causes the death of a young boy and leaves the boy's brother Christopher (Jack Fulton and Philippe Vanasse-Paquet as a twelve-year-old) emotionally scarred and unable to give and receive love. suppressing outward expressions of grief, neither Tomas, Christopher, nor Kate (Charlotte Gainsbourg), Chris' mother, are able to achieve any release, especially Tomas who carries his unexpressed guilt around with him wherever he goes, like a chain around his neck. Though Kate, an accomplished illustrator, is forgiving, telling him repeatedly that the accident was not his fault, he internalizes his guilt and makes a half-hearted suicide attempt much to the consternation of his overbearing father (Patrick Bauchau). Franco delivers a sensitive performance as the conflicted author who is able to channel his suppressed emotions into his writing which become stronger and lead to long-awaited public recognition. As Tomas' career blossoms, he marries Ann (Marie-Josée Croze), a woman with a young daughter, allowing him to become a father for the first time. As told in a series of flash-forwards, Tomas develops a close friendship with Kate but his relationships with Sara and Christopher (Thomas Naylor as an adolescent) build towards a series of confrontations in which long held resentments explode. Written by Bjorn Olaf Johannessen and enhanced by the strong original score by Alexandre Desplatt, Every Thing Will Be Fine, though very slow and ponderous at times, is a humane, poetic and physically beautiful film. 3-D is used sparingly but scenes such as children riding on a Ferris wheel at an amusement park and dust particles dancing in the sun create a lovely tone. Though not in the top echelon of Wenders' oeuvre, the film's message of forgiveness and reconciliation stands out, sharply contrasting with the all too prevalent cultural mindset of violence and revenge.

6.25 of 10. Definitely an art film. If it could have gone 1 step further and removed the product placement, it would be more than a fine/OK art film, potentially great. A commentary on the world where everything is okay/fine no matter what the circumstances and its impact on people, particularly young people. Set around a detached American writer man (Franco) involved with a lot of French-Canadian people living in a quasi-rural/suburban setting. Largely an introspective story about writing and how stories, characters come about. There are a few obvious holes that hurt the immersion level of the film. The kids of people with accents, whatever they may be, lack any accents. MacAdams makes the effort to be an accented character, but it's unclear whether she was one of the French Canadians or a Spanish immigrant, and the story itself leaves that open for interpretation.