I would bet that the image of Ellen Page was added
later because of her success with Juno.
Dennis Quad, Ellen Page, Thomas Haden Church, Sarah Jessica Parker, this movie was sure to have good performances. With the script being from the writer of Sideways it was sure to be witty and well crafted. Don’t be so sure . This movie never delivered on it’s potential.
When I am sitting in a theater continually checking the clock on my cell phone, this is an indication of one of two things. Either it is poorly paced with one section of the film going on far too long, or I want to be somewhere else and long for this pain to end. In the case of Smart People, it was both. I spent my time in the theater feeling like all the characters were out of focus. This wasn’t because of a bad projectionist in the theater, it was because of a bad director on the set. No one was well developed, I didn’t want to see anyone grow or succeed.
Dennis Quad plays a character that should have layers but unfortunately is very one dimensional. Thomas Haden Church’s role as the uncle is simple comic relief and lacks heart, he never goes anywhere. Sarah Jessica Parker seemed to be playing a similar character to her role in Family Stone, except I didn’t care what happened to her. Ellen Page was funny in moments and had the most evident character arc, but it still falls short.
This film is filled with a bunch of big words and literary references. Many people will leave the theater thinking this movie went over their heads. I understood 90% of the big words and literary illusions, and trust me, it still wasn’t funny. I believe the blame lies with the script and the director. The ending felt extremely rushed. It was like someone hit fast forward for the last 15 minutes and then hit spot. I am sure that this was because of cuts made after screenings that revealed people felt like it dragged. Well, simply cutting things at the end doesn’t help the first two hours. Start making trims earlier.
In conclusion, don’t see this movie in the theater. By the time I’ve posted this it has left most theaters, but still avoid it. Avoid renting this movie, don’t plague your Netflix queue with this garbage. This movie would be worth watching if you are on a plane and longing to get some sleep. If you see it on your movie menu, hit play and recline your seat; you will be dreaming of a better movie in minutes.
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