Tag: Star

Not Okay

Published on by Daniela1 Comment

From director Quinn Shephard comes the story of Danni Sanders (Zoey Deutch), an aspiring writer whose life is going nowhere fast. In order to boost her social media following, she decides to fake a trip to Paris. When a terrorist attack strikes while she is supposedly aboard, Danni’s lie takes on a world of its own. Suddenly everyone wants to be her friend, including influencer and trauma survivor Rowan (Mia Isaac), and her crush Colin (Dylan O’Brien) is showing interest in her. Danni’s newfound fame, however, is not all its cracked up to be.

I love everything and anything that Zoey Deutch touches. She tends to star in more offbeat films which I have always admired. I remember when I first heard about Not Okay. While Deutch once again knocked it out of the park, I have to say that because I had such high expectations, they weren’t exactly met.

What I did enjoy was the way in which social media was depicted throughout. I found myself nodding along to certain moments and cringing at others over how realistic it was to see Danni so reliant on her Instagram followers. I also thought it was a bold choice not to go with a happy ending; life doesn’t always tie everything together so neatly in a bow after all.

Unfortunately there were times when the pacing was slow and not much was happening. I also can’t say I liked any of the characters. While we were warned of Danni’s awful ways in the beginning, I still didn’t know how to feel about her. I also couldn’t get on board with O’Brien’s Colin who came across as a vapid fuckboy. If I had to choose, I’d say Rowan was the most tolerable because at least she was being true to herself from the beginning.

At the end of the day, I have to say that I expected more from Not Okay. I guess I should have known better. I built it up in my head for too long and ended up feeling slightly disappointed as a result.

Rating: ♥♥.5

The Valet

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Famous movie star Olivia (Samara Weaving) finds herself in a PR disaster when photos of her and her married boyfriend Vincent (Max Greenfield) hit every news outlet in the city. Needing to do damage control before her upcoming premiere, they enlist the help of humble, hardworking valet Antonio (Eugenio Derbez) to pretend to be Olivia’s new boyfriend.

Based on the 2006 French movie La Doublure, The Valet took me by surprise. While it was yet another story featuring a mismatched couple, it struck me in ways that I was not expecting it to and I only wish more people knew about it.

The chemistry between our two leads Eugenio Derbez and Samara Weaving shouldn’t seem like it would work, but it totally does. I have never seen the former in anything before and found his Antonio charming and funny. Samara Weaving has slowly been working her way up my favorites list having starred in TV shows Hollywood and Nine Perfect Strangers. Her comedic role here was something I never knew I needed.

It was fun to see Max Greenfield portray such a slimy character – something very different than the roles we are used to seeing him in. I couldn’t stop thinking about how much of a douchebag his character Vincent was. Betsy Brandt who stars as Vincent’s wife Kathryn was certainly no pushover which was refreshing to see. I loved that she wanted to take him down.

I must give a special shoutout to the latino representation that was depicted throughout the movie. Getting to know Antonio’s colleagues, friends and family was such a joy. I really felt the authenticity in those relationships and I loved the incorporation of Spanish whenever these scenes were happening.

What I liked the most about The Valet was while I thought I knew where it was going, I ended up being very wrong (in the best possible way). There were some twists thrown in that hit me like a ton of bricks and made me feel all the emotions. It’s an off beat romantic comedy that teaches you the importance of family and being true to yourself. If this was your first time hearing about it, I highly recommend adding it to your weekend viewing. You won’t be sorry.

Rating: ♥♥♥

Fresh

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Noa (Daisy Edgar-Jones) is fed up with dating. Believing she will never find the man of her dreams, when she happens upon Steve (Sebastian Stan) in a grocery store, she thinks her luck is changing. Not only is he a doctor, he’s charismatic, charming and very good looking. So, why shouldn’t she throw caution to the wind and go for it? When Steve suggests a trip away, Noa agrees, hoping it’ll bring the two of them closer together. What she doesn’t bargain for is just how much.

Directed by Mimi Cave, Fresh is one of the most refreshing movies I have seen in a long time. Just when you think you know where the film is going, you are forced to think again and re-access everything. With a witty script and an impending sense of dread through, I was kept on the edge of my seat all the way through.

The performances by our two leads are outstanding. Daisy Edgar-Jones is the heroine that you want to root for. I’m so glad that Daisy is getting more recognition. After starring in Normal People, it was clear that she’s got a bright future ahead. As for Sebastian Stan, I was completely blown away with what he brought to the table. It’s nice to see that he can branch away from the Marvel Universe into a completely different genre.

I don’t want to say too much about Fresh. It’s best if you go into this movie blind. I wouldn’t even watch the trailer. The less you know the better. I guarantee that the rollercoaster ride you embark on will be well worth it.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥