Personal Effects

Hollander's 'Personal Effects' reminded me of 'In The Bedroom' and 'Monster's Ball'. It deals with similar themes of coping with the loss of a loved one. The story is treated with equal restraint. The character development is gradual and in accordance with how the layers unfold. The visuals are very detailed and photogenic. It has a certain poetic feel which is further substantiated by the amazing score. I'm actually in search of the soundtrack.

Ashton Kutcher may be an odd choice for the role but I appreciate his attempt to break away from the typecast goofball roles he's known for. Where his acting is concerned, it appears very formulaic. It lacks spontaneity but one can see the actor's effort. It may not be among the best examples of acting but he gets better in the latter scenes and overall turns in an adequate performance. Michelle Pfeiffer easily delivers a natural performance that just seems like a piece of cake for her. The actress knows her craft too well. Ditto for Kathy Bates who stands out in a supporting role. Spencer Hudson is a sincere actor.

The only thing that bothered me about this movie is its lethargic pace which is very slow in the first half. The director focuses too much on the closeups when much of it could have easily been trimmed. Moreover, I didn't understand the need to 'maintain the element of suspense' in the end when the viewer easily knew the outcome (hence no surprise)? There are a few plot holes like why Walter didn't empty the gun before returning it to Linda. These flaws are but a few and thankfully they don't dilute the film (as long as one has some patience to get through the first half)

I've never written a review for a movie before. But after seeing such negative reviews for this movie I had to step up and say something. I thought this movie was great! The acting was superb and the plot was realistic. Some people seemed to think that the relationship between Michelle Pfeiffer and Ashton Kutcher was weird or creepy because of the age difference. This is absurd. There is nothing wrong with an older women falling in love with a younger man. Another problem people seemed to have with this movie was it's pace. Not me, I was enveloped into this movie from start to finish, and that's saying something since most of the time I watch DVDs I pause to take a break and do something else for a bit. I thought the story was engaging and the relationship between Michelle and Ashton believable.

If you're someone that's into movies involving regular people dealing with the stress and depression that life can cause then this movie is for you. But if your looking for the typical fake Hollywood stuff then you might want to pass this up.

On a side note, the only reason I gave this a 9 out of 10 was because I thought the ending could have been a tad bit better. Otherwise this movie is flawless.

I recently viewed this movie and found it to very well acted and the story line to be a bit different from the normal everyday run of the mill Holleywood knock off film with just a different twist. More of a testament to how people can change one another's lives for the better just by being there for each other. It's about coming to terms with one's own thoughts and hatred and grieving for the loss of a loved one and then moving on with your life. It's about how love can bridge the gaps of time to bring two people together even in the most solemn of times. I would have to say that this is definitely one of the better films that I have seen for awhile. Very worth the time to watch.

This movie was well written and the acting was far beyond my expectations.

Not that the whole cast isn't already great, but Ashton K was really much better than I expected him to be at acting without words... I'm used to enjoying comedy and far out roles for him...but his take on an ordinary character with problems was unexpectedly deep and rang true.

The ending and the overall message that the movie left was also a pleasant surprise. I first thought this movie was going to be a study in the gloom of sudden loss. I think viewers will smile if they watch thru to the last frame ...there's a nice little twist if you look close.

The film started off very unassuming. Before you know it tho, I was hopelessly engaged in a poignant story told bona fide. The cast was unison in being their characters, and a sense of balance threaded through the entire film. Everyone humbly served the plot. That was truly inspiring, in this age saturated with blockbusters and stars, where we're used to having our senses bombarded with glamour.

Being a sucker for photography, I have to say: brilliant. It reminds me of Darius Khonji's (DOP) Before the Rain...I loved the look of the entire movie, especially the warmth that surrounded Tom's house opposite the rest of the gloom. To me it was metaphor for Tom's heart: honest and good. Beautifully done!

I thought Ashton was amazing. I though the young deaf man was great. Aleks Paunovic=Tom: heart rendering...visceral. I've seen Paunovic in various roles, and every time I get lost in the character! Wow! I hope we get to see lots more of this actor. Tom was as sweet and attention grabbing as John Coffey in The Green Mile.

As for the film as a whole, a sense of oneness of all it's elements, very coherent and intentional. I felt strung by the development of the events. I like Hollander's style. This is a great representation of American film. I hope it does festivals in Europe as well. It contradicts Hollywood and it's a very truthful representation of the majority of American people. Not the BIG people's lives only. I really like that. Thank you, to the director.

What I absolutely LOVED about the movie, is that even though it was about difficult situations, I didn't 'drown' at the end. I survived, not in the big kind of 'SAVE THE WORLD DAY' but in the 'it's possible that things will turn out good' kinda way. To me, this was a story about HOPE. Just what we need these days. Congarats!