This is the movie I was looking forward to most all year. I avoided all the behind the scenes drama and press surrounding it so that I would enjoy the movie for the movie itself because I was so excited purely based on the cast alone, plus the soundtrack too after hearing Ooogum Boogum song by Brenton Wood in one of the teasers. It starts off showing us this perfect life, too perfect so you have this too good to be true feeling and know that something's amiss throughout. It gave off 60's American dream life in the suburb's vibes.
Chris Pine really catches your attention with his charisma the way he speaks every time he's on screen, but he's not saying anything of actual substance. And that's how the whole movie feels, very captivating and pretty to look at, visually stunning; Olivia Wilde did a great job, well produced and has artistic direction but it all feels empty. The writing falls flat and it's hallow. Someone said Chris Pine is used to disguise mediocre movies after 'All the Old Knives' and I'm starting to see it, he just makes movies seem better than they really are. Olivia Wilde and Florence Pugh did good, with Harry Styles doing as good as you'd expect.
Slow paced so it has a lot of suspense, arousing questions all movie long and when they finally start getting answered it's too little too late; the reveal is not big enough to justify the wait. It was an ambitious attempt and showing of Wilde's ability but ultimately underwhelming. It's just about better than mediocre with everything it does right but other aspects of the movie can't put it beyond a 6/10. Just feels like it's missing something. Not as bad as the press around it was, nor as good as those who were hopeful for it thought it was going to be.
