MovieChat Forums > Mr. Right (2016) Discussion > Not even the combo of Rockwell and Kendr...

Not even the combo of Rockwell and Kendrick can save this film

posted 8 years ago by ToshJank
11 replies | jump to latest

Dark comedy is an art, and one that Mr. Right unfortunately fails to get right. The newest film from screenwriting superstar Max Landis, it’s a clunky, uneven piece of work that never quite feels comfortable in its own skin. It’s not the fault of the Twitter-friendly screenwriter, though. No, his singular, energetic voice always sings throughout, and it sometimes gives the film the pop and zip it needs to shine. Rather, it’s the misguidance of director Paco Cabezas (Rage) that murders this off-beat serial killer satire. His work is insecure when it should be confident, amateurish when it should bellow with flair and disorientated when it should be hyper-focused. And what results, then, is a mismatched, uncomfortably sloppy mess of a film. It’s a classic example of the wrong director with the wrong material, and that’s not alright by any means: http://www.cutprintfilm.com/reviews/mr-right-revew/

[–] bringonthelucie 8 years ago

I read the script a while back, and to me it seemed like it could be the Punch-Drunk Love of action romcoms. Instead, the movie as a low budget version of Killers. I think it was Cabezas' directing above all else, it killed almost everything.

[–] Ithilfaen 8 years ago

I think it was Cabezas' directing above all else, it killed almost everything.

I don't know how the script read but it plays pretty terrible on screen. Even Kendrick and Rockwell's chemistry and their natural comic timing can't save the ridiculous dialogues, the obvious setups in each scene and the long string of clichés that I'm guessing Landis was hoping would play as a parody of the crime genre?

I thought Chronicle didn't live up to the hype but this is not even as good as American Ultra, which was more miss than hit.

For every lie I unlearn I learn something new - Ani Difranco

[–] bringonthelucie 8 years ago

One thing is that I think Landis rewrote quite a bit of his original script, there are extra scenes and dialogue but I don't think these additions were particularly good. I was going through the movie again and reading the script, and it just seemed to me that a lot of scenes needed better directing. I think Landis was aiming more for a parody of the romcom genre, or a transgression of it. If anything, the movie succeeded at transferring the psychopath aspect of Martha which I wasn't sure if it was going to pull off. It was even more pronounced than in the script, and I enjoyed that.

But the mediocre directing is evident in the action scenes. I don't think I've seen action this bad in a mainstream(ish) movie.

[–] rubirub 8 years ago

Why do you think the movie isn't good because of the director? I mean, you are all blame the director but don't explain why. Can you be more specific, please?

I started watching it and immediately felt it wouldn't be a good movie at all. Anna Kendrick is too over the top, isn't she? Annoying as hell, poor girl.

:(

[–] ravenx25 8 years ago

you seem to be trying to hard do not worry everyone can tell you are a douche bag...this movie was fun and full of laughs why don't you go review a movie in your bathroom at least 1 person will give a shi*

[–] melinda2001 8 years ago

I think I can answer that question. It's because he's trying to make money with his review site and this is the best way he can think of to drive traffic to his site. Literally all of his posts are exactly like this. He can't be bothered to reply to a single message and only creates threads that link to his site. So really, this is his toilet into which he drops his turds. I'm that close to flagging his posts as spam but perhaps some people like his work.

Anyway, I'm with you in that I liked the movie a lot. Sure, it was largely predictable and it took me a while to warm to Kendrick, but I felt they had some real chemistry and really enjoyed the dialog.

[–] ravenx25 8 years ago

ahhh thank you this guy really is a tool.

[–] thaumielx72 8 years ago

Not even a nobody like you can make me feel sorry for you enough to read one word of your review....

Oskars problem with Eli is not her ambiguous gender, but her ambiguous humanity.

[–] graynote 8 years ago

Really?

I enjoyed it, and I am not particularly fond of Anna Kendrick. I am fond of this type of film though.

I actually enjoyed it enough to both recommend it to a friend and to re-watch it with my girlfriend a few weeks later.

No it is not a perfect work of art, but it did entertain me. To me a film does not need saving if it does that.

[–] rubirub 8 years ago

After several attempts to make it through the whole movie, I finally watched it from beginning to end.

There were a couple of good ideas, but the movie wasn't good or entertaining in my opinion.

The main flaw is the tone of the movie, it tries to be a mix of comedy and action, but fails trying to make laugh and the action sequences are unbelievable. Too much talking with the bad guys instead of fighting them, for example.

The casting wasn't a good choice either. I do like the cast, but don't think Kendrick and Rockwell fit the roles or were able to get the tone and humour of the script.

Last but not least, the storyline was weak, specially the bad guys and the brothers' beef (with one of them trying to get rid of the other through the hitman played by Rockwell). The simpler, the better. It was too much.

It could have been great, but it wasn't.

[–] upside_down_frown 8 years ago

I watched it with zero knowledge of the plot beyond the 1-sentence IMDb summary, major love for Sam Rockwell and a fondness for Anna Kendrick. Add to that a bottle of white wine and you have a very enjoyable movie experience on a lazy Sunday night. I highly recommend this manner of movie-watching.