Tag: DakotaJohnson

Verity

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When Lowen Ashleigh (Dakota Johnson) is hired to finishing writing a series of books penned by illusive author Verity Crawford (Anne Hathaway), she has no idea what she’s in for. After learning from Verity’s husband Jeremy (Josh Hartnett) that Verity was in a life altering car accident, he invites her to stay at their house in Vermont so that she Lowen can get to work. But then Lowen uncovers what appears to be Verity’s autography and it has her struggling to differentiate reality from fiction.

Verity was the first book I ever read by Colleen Hoover. It’s stuck with me over the years because of its insane twist. I always wondered how that would work out if we ever got to see it live. Luckily for me, I got my wish. It wasn’t a surprise that Verity would get the big screen treatment. It is the fourth of Hoover’s novels that has and I think it is also the one that proved to be the most complicated. I’m not a Hoover fan by any means, but this is my favorite book of hers that I’ve read, and I wanted them to do it justice.

Let’s start with what they got right. The casting was a dream – Johnson, Hathaway and Hartnett in the lead roles is something I could have only ever hoped for. Lowen is an interesting character. She’s awkward and kind of dark. Johnson excelled in the awkwardness, but I would have loved the darker side to come out more. It would have better explained some choices that were made later on in the film. Hathaway, in her sixth film of the year, was having an absolute ball as Verity. No stranger to an unreliable character, she leaned into it all the way and was the highlight of the film for me. Hartnett had the heartthrob husband act done to a T. I’m glad he’s back and acting in more films again. Jeremy is yet another complex character and once again, this was not explored as much as it should have been.

Although I read the book a while ago now, I can’t help but feel like there was a lot they missed out on. This is a thriller and it never completely went to the places it needed to go. The book had so many moments that were unhinged; the film in comparison only scratched the surface. I would have preferred for it to be a little bit on the longer side so that fans of the book could see some pivotal moments come to life and for us to truly feel as though we were losing our minds right there along Lowen.

The pacing was off from the get go. I’m all for a slow burn, but this took it a step too far. They kept teasing us with these little moments of crazy and then wouldn’t give it the proper pay off. Because of this, I did not buy the flirtation between Lowen and Jeremy whatsoever. We were suddenly just supposed to believe that they had all this sexual tension when all we really were able to revert back to were two sharing a drink when everyone was asleep and Lowen’s birthday dinner at the Bavarian restaurant. The final act, which was super intense in the book and almost literally took my breath away, was rushed in the film and did not give me the same experience. It’s like they went from zero to one hundred without it feeling properly earned.

On its own, Verity is a solid enough film. The cast are great in their roles and the story will keep you entertained the whole way through. I went with my husband and he was on the edge of his seat. However, if you are a fan of the book, I wouldn’t be surprised if you were disappointed. I know I was.

Rating: ♥️♥️.5

Splitsville

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Carey (Kyle Marvin) and Ashley (Adria Arjona) have been married for only thirteen months when she says she wants a divorce. Beside himself, Carey runs to his best friend Paul (Michael Angelo Covino) and his wife Julie (Dakota Johnson) for advice. When Carey learns their secret to a happy marriag, he decides to go for it, leaving a trial of chaos in his wake.

Written by both male leads and directed by Covino, this is an interesting take on open relationships. This is a concept that has recently become more popular and while it may work for some, it is clear that it becomes quite complicated for the four main characters. As a result, they come off as being annoying and unlikeable, but that is what makes the film work so well. The fact that the film is so self aware is why it excels.

This was brilliantly casted. Marvin and Covino are hilarious and completely over the top. They may be best friends, but they do butt heads. One of the funniest scenes I have had the pleasure of witnessing all year took place between the two of them. I have not laughed that hard or that long in ages. Johnson is once again beautiful and magnetic while Arjona is fiery; stubborn and needed more screen time. All four worked so well off of each other.

While the film starts strong, immediately hooking the audience, it does lose pace in the final act. I couldn’t help but wonder how long the same jokes would work until they began to feel overstuffed and repetitive. It also felt like everything was tied up way too neatly for my liking which almost seemed out of place.

Overall, Splitsville is one of the funniest films I have seen in some time. It’s modern and isn’t afraid to push boundaries when needed. Though it is not perfect by any means, there is still a lot to enjoy as long as it’s not taken too seriously!

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5

Materialists

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From writer and director Celine Song comes an unconventional take on dating in the modern world. Lucy (Dakota Johnson) is a high end matchmaker who just witnessed her ninth couple getting married. At said wedding she meets the incredibly handsome and filthy rich Harry (Pedro Pascal) who is instantly smitten with her. But at the same wedding Lucy also runs into her ex boyfriend, struggling actor John (Chris Evans), and realizes that there is still a spark between them. Now she has to make an impossible choice.

If you are going into this film expecting a cute romcom, you would be mistaken. Instead what Song has given us is something so much more than that. The dating scene has changed over the years, especially with the influence of social media, and this was an interesting take on just how materialistic we’ve all become as a result.

The casting of our three leads was perfect. I could not imagine anybody else playing these characters except for Johnson, Pascal and Evans. Together they had real, organic chemistry and it was hard for me to determine who I wanted Lucy to be with more. On their own, they each portrayed a stereotype of people at different stages of their lives: Lucy at a crossroads of what she truly wants and what stage of life she thinks she should be at, Harry with an established career and stunning apartment and John dreaming of becoming an actor while living with two roommates and struggling to make ends meet.

While there was plenty of romance and some moments that had my theatre laughing out loud, there were some other themes woven throughout that I really appreciated. Self-worth, value and materialism are at the forefront and they really had me reflecting on not only personal experiences I have had in the past, but also those of my friends who are still dealing with similar situations every single day. It also illustrated the less glamorous side of dating such as individuals only wanting a certain age bracket or skin color as well as what could happen when a date takes a turn for the worst.

Materialists was one of the films that I was most excited for this summer. I was a big fan of Song’s debut Past Lives and couldn’t wait to see what she was going to do next, not to mention the fact that this cast was an absolute dream. I’ll admit that the marketing may be misleading, but I actually think I enjoyed the film much more because I went into it thinking it would be one thing and I ended up getting so much more out of it.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️

Am I OK?

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Lucy (Dakota Johnson) and Jane (Sonoya Mizuno) have been best friends all their lives. When Jane is promoted and the new role requires her to move out of the country, everything changes. Not only will their friendship be tested, but as Lucy comes to some realizations, things may never be the same again.

Inspired by the real life coming out story of screenwriter Lauren Pomerantz who previously worked on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, we embark on Lucy’s journey of self discovery. Afraid of facing the unknown in her early thirties when ‘we’re supposed to have it all figured out’ couldn’t have been more relatable if it tried. Whether it was exploring her sexuality or deciding to focus on art for a living, I enjoyed coming along for the ride.

At the heart of the film, however, is the friendship between the girls. Johnson and Mizuno’s chemistry was believable enough. I’ve always felt that Johnson is underrated as an actor, but her comedic timing here was everything. And though I’m not as familiar as Mizuno, I felt like she was just as matched in that department too. The way in which they approached these characters was well done. I liked that we were privy to the good, the bad and the ugly. The fact that they could say anything to each other, even if it hurt, showed how much they cared. And while the time they inevitably spent apart was tough to watch, it gave them both a chance to grow and find their way back.

AM I OK? is the film that I didn’t know I needed. I can’t believe that it debuted in Sundance in 2022 and was only released into the world now. It tells an important story about being true to who you are and also one about the significance of friendship. I recommend checking it out!

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️

Madame Web

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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: ♥️♥️

Persuasion

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Anne Elliot (Dakota Johnson) has always been underestimated by her father Walter Elliot (Richard E. Grant) and sister Elizabeth (Yolanda Kettle). Believing they know best, they persuaded her not to marry the love of her life, Captain Frederick Wentworth, eight years ago. When Wentworth comes back into Anne’s life, however, sparks the internal struggle of moving forward with her life or giving him a second chance.

Loosely based off of Jane Austen’s final novel Persuasion, this adaption has sparked controversy with die hard fans. Over the years, there have been various versions of Austen’s work, particularly when it comes to Pride and Prejudice, Emma and Sense and Sensibility. While some have closely followed the source material (the Keira Knightley version of the former from 2005 rings a bell), others were a more modernized retelling (the now classic Clueless).

I, for one, was very much looking forward to this new version. I knew going into it that Netflix was giving it a new life and that was a welcome change. I liked the updated script and the fact that Anne interacted with the audience. It kept me totally invested in what was happening and like I was a part of the story too.

Dakota Johnson shined in the role of our protagonist. Her honesty and vulnerability was refreshing to watch. Another exceptional performance came from Mia McKenna-Bruce who played Anne’s younger sister Mary. Her spoiled brat ways could have come across as cringy but instead was anything but. I only wish the same could be said for the male leads. Cosmo Jarvis was fine, though nothing extraordinarily memorable and I wish we’d had more time with Henry Golding’s Mr. Elliot. He was brought it way too late in the game I almost didn’t see the point.

An Austen fan through and through, I was perfectly content with this new version of Persuasion. While it has been ages since I read the book, I was happy with it’s make over. It had everything I could have wanted: longing stares, witty banter, beautiful landscapes and stunning costumes that made me seriously question whether or not I was born in the correct century. Don’t let the negativity deter you – give this one a go!

Rating: ♥♥♥.5

Cha Cha Real Smooth

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Written, directed and starring Cooper Raiff, Cha Cha Real Smooth is about recent college grad Andrew who is trying to find his place in the world. Working a dead-end fast food job and living at home with his mother (Leslie Mann), stepfather (Brad Garrett) and brother (Evan Assante) he takes on a side gig as party host for the summer’s Bar Mitzvah circuit. That’s where he meets the mysterious Domino (Dakota Johnson) and her autistic daughter Lola (Vanessa Burghardt). Little does he know, they will change his life forever.

Let me start by saying that the hype for this movie is real. Receiving rave reviews at this year’s Sundance Festival, there was no way I would miss out on this one. I didn’t expect it to hit as hard as it did and yet here we are.

Although I am not familiar with Raiff’s work, he is quite the triple threat. His portrayal of Andrew is awkward and so very realistic; how many of us have struggled to figure out what we want to do after we finish school? It’s no secret that I’m a Dakota Johnson fan. Her performance here was endearing and honest and the two balanced each other well. The big stand out for me, however, was Vanessa Burghardt. Autistic in real life as well as on screen, she’s got such a career ahead of her and I can’t wait to see where it takes her.

The simplicity of the plot added a factor of intimacy I didn’t know I needed. It almost allowed me to look into the characters’ minds and learn exactly what makes them tick. I found myself laughing along with them, just as I found myself tearing up at certain moments. That conversation about depression, for example, was so on point that I couldn’t help nodding along in agreeance to what was being said.

Cha Cha Real Smooth is a movie that should not be missed. I don’t care if you don’t have Apple TV+. Find a way to watch it. I guarantee it will touch you in one way or another and will stay with you long after the screen turns black.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥