Maxxxine
Genre: Drama
Rating: R
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Paul Gettany
Release Date: November 1, 2024
Platform: Theater
Rating: 2.5/5
Director Robert Zemeckis attempts to rekindle the Forrest Gump magic with his latest film HERE. The film is adapted from the best-selling graphic novel by Richard McGuire. Robert Zemeckis feels like the proper choice to bring this book to the screen because its heart and sentiment align closely with some of his best films. He takes it further by reuniting the iconic Forrest Gump stars, Tom Hanks and Robin Wright
HERE tells the story of a single spot on Earth across eons of time, ranging from dinosaurs to COVID-19 and beyond. Through the first two acts a myriad of stories are highlighted but very few get any depth or stay on screen long enough for any real connection with the audience to develop. Some moments are cute and funny, while others are poignant but it all rings shallow due to the lack of depth. As the film progresses into the second act, one story about a couple and a familiar piece of furniture does connect a bit, and the main story featuring Hanks and Wright begins to take shape.
The “main story” follows two generations of a family living in the same house. Initially one might assume the story will be funny and heartwarming given the director, the cast, and the fact that the film was released right before the holidays. HERE is all of that in moments but there’s also a somber tone that brings a bit of complexity to the characters. Within the gimmick of the production of the film and the nostalgia of the cast there are characters that live a life with obvious happiness; but also, a life of giving in, of never fully living because of fear, family, or tragedy. It’s an odd layer of humanity in a film that spent the first two thirds of its runtime on kitsch and cute. The tone is a welcome bit of character development that offers something to think about, talk about, and connect with through the third act. The problem is it comes too late in the film and makes the entire experience feel off balance.
The gimmick of HERE is that the camera is locked in place for nearly the entire runtime. The visual aesthetic is that of looking through a window, which leaves no opportunity for visual storytelling. This is a neat aesthetic in graphic novel form but when characters are walking and talking, camera movements are a crucial part of making the viewer feel part of the story. The experience of watching the film reminds me of looking at clips of early full motion video games from the 90’s, like Night Trap where the video plays in a small window on screen and actors perform in front of a green screen with flat studio lights.
On that note, HERE is lit in that way, with flat studio lighting from beginning to end. There’s nothing dynamic about the look of the film, which makes emotional moments feel colder than they should. Because the camera doesn’t move, actors are often blocked in very bizarre ways. In some scenes, they are awkwardly squished together and uncomfortably placed too close to the camera and in other scenes they are so far back in the scene that the audience can’t see enough of the actor’s eyes to connect with the dialogue being delivered. Not every graphic novel adaptation can be 300 and completely replicate the comic book experience. Sometimes it’s better to just show respect to the source material with some nods and accept that these visual mediums are very different and require different toolsets to fully execute the story being told. A note on one toolset, the CGI, is pretty bad throughout the film. That is all.
HERE certainly has its standout moments with Hanks and Wright delivering strong performances. There is a fun story towards the middle of the film with good actors that sparks intrigue. However, not all performances hit the mark with its secondary characters, like Al played by Paul Bettany, who is generally a good actor. The blame isn’t on Bettany for a poor performance, rather the blame shifts to Zemeckis and his focus on the aesthetic and Gumpiness of it all. Still, for a one-time family watch, HERE might be worth a look, especially with the upcoming holiday weekend. The third act does bring some stronger storytelling, and again Hanks and Wright are a joy to watch when they get genuine moments to shine.
