Tag: JohnKrasinski

Fountain Of Youth

Published on by DanielaLeave a comment

From director Guy Ritchie comes a new swashbuckling adventure. Luke (John Krasinski) and Charlotte Purdue (Natalie Portman) are estranged siblings who team up to find the mythical Fountain of Youth. Together with their team of misfits, they travel all over the globe finding clues that will help them in their quest.

If Indiana Jones and National Treasure had a baby, it would be this. It was a total throwback to the action films of yesteryear and I was so here for it. It wasn’t perfect by any means, but it was a blast from beginning to end and I just couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next.

Krasinski did a great job as our protagonist. I’ve heard some people say that he was miscast though I don’t agree. Not only was he hilarious, it was obvious that he was enjoying himself to the fullest. I felt similarly about Portman. I liked their banter and thought that they easily passed as brother and sister.

The supporting cast were equally as fun. Laz Alonso and Carmen Ejogo were Patrick Murphy and Deb McCall respectively; the team wouldn’t have been complete without them. Domhnall Gleeson was Owen Carver, the reason why the team decided to go and search for the Fountain of Youth in the first place, and Benjamin Chivers was Thomas, Charlotte’s son who comes along on the journey. With every adventure there are always some obstacles that get in the way. These come in the form of Eiza Gonzalez as Esme, a protector of the Fountain, and Arian Moayed as Jamal Abbas, a police officer who tries to keep up with everyone.

Where the film lacks is in its script. It’s corny and doesn’t quite pack the punch that it otherwise could have. It makes up for all that with the action sequences and there are plenty! I particularly fancied the scene that took place on the sunken ship. I just thought it was so well done.

Overall, Fountain of Youth is exactly the type of action adventure film that I love. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and instead just totally leans into itself. It’s fun, over the top and it is a great way to spend a Friday night in. I would 100% be on board for a sequel.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5

IF

Published on by DanielaLeave a comment

John Krasinki is back in the director’s seat with a completely different type of film. Bea (Cailey Fleming) is going through a tough time. When she moves in with her grandmother (Fiona Shaw), she ends up befriending one of the upstairs neighbors named Cal (Ryan Reynolds). Cal is on a mission to reunite IFs, or imaginary friends, with new children as their old ones have grown up and forgotten about them. He enlists the help of Bea and together they embark on a magical adventure.

Where the film exceeds is in its casting. Fleming is a great pick for our protagonist. I’ve never seen her before, but her performance was endearing and relatable. Reynolds seems to dial it back a bit from his usual song and dance to give Fleming more of the spotlight. He’s still a very important player though and the two worked well together. For me it was the different voices that brought the IFs to life that I had fun discovering: Steve Carell as Blue, Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Blossom, Louis Gossett Jr. as Lewis, Akwafina as Bubble, Emily Blunt as Unicorn, George Clooney as Spaceman, Bradley Cooper as Ice and many more.

Unfortunately there are some pacing issues that are evident throughout. Things take too long to get going in the beginning. There’s some groundwork that needs to be set up with the audience learning about Bea’s life which is fine, but I wanted more time with the IFs! I also felt like it wrapped up way too quickly in the end.

The moral of the story of getting back in touch with your inner child really spoke to me. I was one of those kids who had an imaginary friend and I could totally relate in that I don’t even remember who they are anymore. Just because you grow up doesn’t mean you don’t have to forget the parts of you that made you happy when you were younger. These sentiments really tugged at my heartstrings.

Overall IF was an enjoyable film that the whole family can enjoy. It will certainly resonate with children for the beloved friends they will meet along the way, but I think it is the adults who will get the most out of it. Though it may have gotten a bit muddled along the way, it is still worth checking out.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5