A really GREAT premise. (Equal parts Brainstorm, Flatliners, Eternal Sunshine, Strange Days).
Unfortunately, it seems the idea never got out of the first draft. (It's like they just loved the intial idea and opening scene so much, they went ahead without fleshing out the whole idea).
Too bad, because it has great flashes of what it could have been. (They invent a recorder ala Brainstorm that can record the afterlife).
The movie totally sidelines it's ideas with a shoehorned (and unnecessary) love story angle toward the end - which is a seriously bad move because:
A) the film doesn't need it.
B) the actors have zero chemistry together (Mara & Segel)
and
C) Do you REALLY wanna be reminding me how great Eternal Sunshine was during your movie?
The left turn toward the love story in the last third kind of negates and replaces what came before, and by the end, you feel like you saw the ending to a different story other than the one that was set up.
This definitely needed many more rewrites to hone the story. You can feel it at a crossroads at the midsection, not knowing which way to turn. (The love story was the wrong turn).
The music, locations, and cinematography aquit themselves well. Robert Redford is fine as always. Jason Segel is dour, and kinda miscast. Jesse Plemons seems to be actively vying to be the new Philip Seymour Hoffman. (Pretty good, actually). And Rooney Mara proves again that NFL Family Millions can buy you into the industry, but can't make you an actress.
Interesting misfire, but one of those that bug you with a fantastic premise and terrible follow-through.
I felt just like I did when I left the theater after FLATLINERS. Good premise, but....swing and a miss.
