CelesteOConnor – Credits Rolling

Sony’s newest Marvel offering comes in the form of Madame Web. Cassandra (Dakota Johnson) is a paramedic who lives in New York City. She develops powers that allow her to see the future which she can use to change it. When revelations come to light about her past, she forms a relationship with three young women who are bound for greatness.

Ever since I saw the film yesterday, I’ve been wrecking my head trying to formulate my thoughts about it. This was one that I was super excited for; the cast is great and a female version of Spider-Man more than sparked my interest, but it ended up being one giant disappointment.

The first letdown was the script. A lot of the dialogue came across as forced and unauthentic. As a result, a variety of the scenes were uncomfortable to sit through because you could tell that the actors were doing what they could with the source material and it just wasn’t translating properly.

Another issue that I had was that pacing. It took awhile to get going and it was as if some scenes didn’t get the focus needed while others got too much. The sequence in the subway that developed into a cab chase lasted for awhile while Cassie’s visit to Peru was only five minutes. It didn’t make sense.

One bright spot was the chemistry between Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced and Celeste O’Connor. They gelled together well enough and their camaraderie was realistic. Cassie was like an older sister to Julia, Anya and Mattie and if we do end up getting a sequel, I look forward to seeing more of them all together. Adam Scott as Ben, Emma Roberts as Mary Parker and Zosia Mamet as Amaria were also welcome additions. Another missed opportunity was Tahar Rahim’s villain Ezekiel Simms. He was one of the worst villains I have ever witnessed! I found him incredibly dull and didn’t care when he was on screen.

I’m sad that Madame Web was such a misfire. There was potential hidden deep within, I just don’t think it was properly brought to fruition. I feel bad for the cast, but it’s not their fault as they did all they could. I hate to say it – the future of superhero films is not looking too good.

Rating: ♥️♥️

From writer and director Zach Braff comes A Good Person. Allison (Florence Pugh) is about to marry Nathan (Chinaza Uche), the man of her dreams, when she is involved in a car crash that kills her would be sister and brother in law. While the accident is what starts the events that causes Allie’s life to fall apart, it is ultimately her addiction to opioids that causes her to hit rock bottom.

There are some dark moments that occur throughout the film. This is an addiction that many people struggle with in the US and I considered this to be an interesting glance into someone’s potential reality. But through the hardships, there are also some much needed moments that will make you laugh out loud and root for these characters. I have to commend Braff here for perfectly balancing the two with his script.

At the helm of the film is Pugh. In arguably the best performance of her career to date, I was completely encapsulated with her. She does everything she possibly can to be a convincing addict, going to places that sometimes scared me and she sings! If someone doesn’t give this woman an award soon, I don’t know what I’ll do. Opposite Pugh is Morgan Freeman, who portrays Nathan’s father Daniel. His chemistry with Pugh is delightful to watch and his poignancy in the role was so appreciated. And of course, I cannot leave out Molly Shannon as Allie’s mom Diane who provides a lot of comedic moments and Celeste O’Connor as Ryan, Nathan’s niece and Daniel’s granddaughter who is a scene stealer.

While I may not go rushing back to watch A Good Person anytime soon only because of how heavy it was, I have that it was one of the best surprises I have had at the cinema all year. I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did, but with its brilliant performances and the way in which it dealt with the subject matter, it was an important watch that I will always remember.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️