Homens, Mulheres & Filhos

The film Men, Women & Children is another societal exploration of American / western culture by Jason Reitman. It is a freakishly good movie. I didn't really know what to expect, to be honest the trailers were not that engaging, but this character driven movie captivated me. It's a little long and the slow pace is not helping but every minutes were worth the cramp I got on my ass from sitting too long in the movie theater.

Every character had their kinks and quirks, a singularity about them that some people might call one dimensional, I disagree. The message wouldn't have been so loud and clear if the characters didn't have a stereotypical aspect to them. By the way what was the message? It sure feels like there's one but the at the same time it doesn't feel like it's patronizing message. I think it is whatever you feel it is, you will definitely leave with something, but it might not be the same as the people who sat next to you. In that sense the movie feels neutral, showing you how it is and how it can affect lives.

The movie is not as heavy as the trailers suggest, well it is heavy but there were light and funny moments that helped not making the film a drag. The way Reitman opened his subject made sense and it was tastefully done. Unlike the web he left some things to the imagination or implied them. The film goes to "scary" places, revealing some heavy uncomfortable things about teenagers, parents, couples, and society. You go to these places because it's done every so slightly, tastefully, step by step.

It was a great assemble of a cast, there is not a bad performance in this movie. Each of the actors play their part on this beautiful movie that is Men, Women & Children.

If you haven't seen this movie, please check it out, and I would like to know if the movie resonated with you? Tweet me @wornoutspines

I read the book when it came out, and absolutely loved it. I won't go too in depth into the differences between the book and the movie. Some characters were cut, some stories were shortened and rearranged, and the ending is somewhat less dark. However, I would say that all of these changes are understandable when making a two hour movie. The soul of the book is still there though. If you liked the book, you will like the movie. The directing and acting are great, and I have zero complaints in this department.

I do have a few complaints, starting with some parts of the plot seem like they would be hard to follow if you haven't read the book. There were segments of the story that would have benefited from a little more time spent on them for clarity. I am a fan of long movies, and understand that a lot of people are not, but I think an extra 15 minutes could have made a big difference.

The narration seems to be a sore subject among the other reviews I've read, and I have to say I have mixed feelings. I like the idea of narration in a book-turned-movie. There's a certain amount of context and motive behind characters' actions that can get glossed over in a movie if there's no narration, but it was too inconsistent in this case. It either needed more narration, or it needed to be limited to just the intro and outro.

I think the major issue with the movie is that people are focusing on the wrong parts of it. Everyone wants to talk about the blunt sexual content, and the excessive use of technology in the movie. To me, those are the things that make it a realistic story. Perhaps that's just because I'm in my twenties, and blunt sexual content and excessive technology use are a large percentage of my life. People call this a movie about how technology is ruining and/or changing relationships. I disagree. This movie is about growing up, relationships, and miscommunication. Affairs aren't new. Questionable parenting isn't new. Body image issues aren't new. Sexual frustration isn't new. Depression isn't new. The movie shows technology not as a cause or effect of any of these things, but as being intertwined with them the exact way technology is intertwined with modern life. People are looking to MWC as a comment on technology in modern life, and finding it wishy- washy. But that's because it's not taking any sides, it's just showing how things are.

If you go in to this movie expecting an interesting story, rather than an editorial about technology, you'll probably enjoy it. Just don't bring your kids or your parents.

Jason Reitman's Men, Women and Children takes aim at communication in the digital age, offering a sobering and uncomfortably accurate portrait of the way we connect - or rather, fail to connect - with each other when there's a wealth of technology at our fingertips. Take Don (Adam Sandler) for example: a quiet schlub whose sexless marriage to Helen (Rosemarie DeWitt) finds him sneaking into his son's room to feed his internet porn addiction, while his wife struggles with the temptation of using a cheating website to start an extramarital affair. This is the kind of issue that an open dialogue and honest communication could likely overcome - but that would require both of them to put down their iPads or look away from the television.

There's also Hannah (Olivia Crocicchia), a fame-obsessed cheerleader who force-feeds her sexuality to everyone around her in hopes of blazing a path to stardom, Kardashian style. It doesn't help that she's enabled by her mom, Donna (Judy Greer), a failed actress who constantly snaps photos of her daughter for a "modeling" website that happens to include a private section reserved for paying members. Hannah has a thing for Chris (Travis Tope), Don's football player son whose own internet porn habits would not only put his dad's to shame, but have also left him unable to become aroused by anything but the images on his monitor.

Most tragic and heartbreaking of all is Allison (Elena Kampouris), so desperate to catch the eye of her crush that she developed an eating disorder after overhearing him make a disparaging comment about her weight. Now pale and waifish, she maintains her figure by seeking "support" from an online forum dedicated to staying thin at any cost, offering such helpful hunger-battling hints as "drink water and wait five minutes." Their slogan? "Pretty bitches never eat."

At the opposite end of the spectrum is Patricia (Jennifer Garner), a suburban parent who redefines the term "overprotecrive" as she demands that daughter Brandy (Kaitlyn Dever) surrender her cell phone on a regular basis so that she can read her emails and text messages, in addition to poring over pages of chat logs and using a GPS locator app to monitor her daughter's movements whenever she leaves the house. Patricia is convinced that she's keeping Brandy safely out of harm's way, yet remains oblivious to the fact that she's stifling any chance of her having a normal teenage existence.

And then there's Tim (Ansel Elgort), a star running back who elected to quit the football team in favor of investing his time in online role-playing games. Tim's interpretation of Carl Sagan's Pale Blue Dot (a recurring theme throughout the film) is that nothing matters in the grand scheme of things, so why bother investing in a "pointless" activity like football? He's much more content to form connections with other like-minded individuals in a virtual world, while growing increasingly distant from his father (Dean Norris), who continues to cope with the sudden departure of Tim's mother the previous year.

If that sounds like a lot to keep track of, you're correct. As the film progresses, each character is faced with their own individual conflicts, while simultaneously crossing paths with other characters and creating new conflicts along the way. It's not only gut- wrenching to see how commonplace cruelty has become in today's digital world, but terrifying to see how broadly we can all be affected by it. Seemingly innocuous decisions turn out to have major, far-reaching consequences, with actions affecting other characters in surprising ways. It's unapologetically reminiscent of Crash, which admittedly pulled off the same trick in a much more organic fashion that was far more believable.

But that's not to say that Men, Women and Children doesn't feel authentic. Having been acquainted with people that have struggled with eating disorders, depression, or poor self esteem, every performance in the film is pitch perfect, and it's almost frightening how expertly Reitman nails some of these issues. If you're looking for a film that will send you home with a smile on your face, this one isn't it. But if you want a thoughtful, genuine depiction of the how far our communication skills and regard for our fellow humans have fallen, look no further.

Men, Women & Children is an introspection to the human isolation of modern life despite increased technical connections.

It is through the Men, Women & Children's characters, specifically high school teens and their parents, that writer/director Jason Reitman explores human communication and interaction and the changes caused by the internet.

It is through these relationships that Reitman then puts a mirror to the impact of the internet on communication, self-image, parenting, love and sexuality and other topics.

From this description, the film could sound like the audience might be in for a PBS special or history channel episode on the digital age. Men, Women & Children is a thought provoking film with interesting but increasingly faulted but well-developed characters. The well conceived plot and dynamic characters are thanks in part to author of synonymously titled novel in which the film is based, Chad Kultgen.

The subject matter of the film is quite heavy for a feature film of this magnitude and yet, it feels ultimately successful at being an accurate but dramatized portrait of modern American life. Though some archetypes are exaggerated slightly, such as the overprotective mom who has a support group that hands out pamphlets titled "The Dangers of Selfies", there is substantial justifiable honesty to this reality. It helps that Reitman chose to make the film more scathingly honest and therefore indie than superficial box office behemoth.

Since Men, Women & Children is an ensemble piece, the film was able to be stacked with notable actors and promising young actors: Adam Sandler, Rosemarie Dewitt, Jennifer Garner, Dean Norris, Judy Greer, Ansel Elgort, Kaitlyn Dever, Olivia Crocicchia, and Elena Kampouris. There is no weak performance from any actor or actress in the film, all are strong and believable. Men, Women & Children should have a character that resonates with you, either because you are that person, have been in that situation or know someone who has.

To top it all off, the movie has a complementary soundtrack that is appropriately disassociated and hauntingly airy. Ideally this film should be watched by parents and children simultaneously but preferably they should watch the film on their own for the ultimate message to hit home.

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From my perspective, the point of the entire film was to show us how complex human behaviour and communication really is, especially after the internet. It shows briefly how our actions have consequences and it's a film for both parents and teenagers to watch and relate to, and maybe comprehend that we all struggle sometimes, making it important to ask for help. It screams at the audience that communication is key, therefore getting its message across, but it could have explored some plotlines a little bit more, making it a bit clearer.