Marmalade

This is the kind of movie that relies heavily on the story and its twists. Unfortunately, the story, while shiny on the outside, falls apart upon the slightest inspection. It is not original, and it is not nearly as clever as it thinks it is.

When the movie has such gaping plot holes, and requires such enormous suspension of disbelief, then it needs to be extremely fun in order to make up for it. But this movie is not fun. The pacing is uneven, sometimes it drags slower that the terrible southern drawl of the main character, and other times it tries to rush too many things into a few minutes. Despite being billed as a comedy too, all you get form it are just a few chuckles.

The acting is perhaps the best part of it, but that goes only for some of the supporting characters. Camila Morrone was excellent and Aldis Hodge did a solid job, although his acting is uneven - some moments he is excellent, some moments downright bad. Unfortunately, Joe Keery wasn't good, although his character was supposed to carry the movie. In keeping with the aforementioned lack of originality, two characters from two famous movies immediately jump out as the inspiration (to put it politely) for the main character, but the actors in those movies are light years ahead of Keery (I won't go into any details in order to avoid spoilers).

Overall not a terrible movie, but not a good one.

Keir O'Donnell's charming debut film "Marmalade" is a delightful rollercoaster of comedy, throwing unexpected twists and turns that keep you on your toes. It's a tale of love, crime, and betrayal, yet it feels refreshingly new and exhilarating from the get-go.

Initially, I was skeptical, bracing myself for a cliché "boy meets bad girl, boy gets into trouble" storyline. But as the movie unfolds, it defies expectations at every corner, never ceasing to surprise until the very end.

The dynamic duo of Baron and Marmalade, portrayed by Keery and Morrone, electrify the screen. Keery's Baron starts off as a simple guy, content with his routine until Marmalade shakes up his world. Morrone embodies Marmalade with infectious energy, leading Baron into a whirlwind of excitement and danger. Yet beneath her playful facade lies a darker motive, adding depth to her character.

So, sit back, buckle up, and enjoy the wild ride of "Marmalade." It may not be what you anticipated, but that's all part of its charm.

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If the movie seems familiar at first glance, the effect is intentional. Fledgling director Keir O'Donnell sets out to catch the audience by surprise, and succeeds more often than he fails. Just when you think the story is going somewhere, it zigs when it should zag. The result is actual honest-to-God entertainment, something most movies today seem to have overlooked. Camila Morrone is a find, rocking her role like a deranged Claire Danes, and the camera loves her. The audience will too. Hodge is one of those rare actors who literally cannot give a bad performance, and he holds up his end of the "deal," even with limited screen time. Recommended. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

I thought this movie was absolutely terrific. It was fun, interesting, and refreshing, and any doubts or qualms I had with it in the beginning were resolved by the end.

In fact, a little ways into it I thought I had guessed then ending, and thought "wow, what a neat little concept." By the end, it had taken what I thought would happen and added a few twists, and really left me pleasantly surprised. I've seen plot progression similar to this before, but this really stuck the landing and left me wanting more (in a good way).

Some of the performances and character decisions do feel a little off in the beginning, but this makes sense at a certain point and becomes part of the charm.

As a directorial debut and possibly best performance yet by the rising Joe Keery, I have to go with a 10/10 for this one. I can't think of anything that would have enhanced it, and it all wrapped up in a satisfying, if not 100% original, way.

By the way, I only knew about this film because I follow Justin Long (apparently a friend of the director) on Instagram. Really curious as to how this gem slipped by with minimal promotion or recognition.

Despite clearly having a low budget, this movie made up for it with great actors, snappy writing and breathtaking twists. I have given the movie higher marks purely because the tools that they were provided to create this movie, lowly as they were, were used with such precise artistry, that a 10/10 score is more than well deserved. All three leads are fantastic actors, it's well paced, and most of all, it feels like an indie movie born from a sordid affair between Tarantino and the Coens, and this is the highest praise a movie like this could expect.

I cannot express how much I enjoyed every well-used second of this movie, this will be in the rotation of movies to watch when I want to spend roughly an hour and a half just... Enjoying cinema.