Beginners

Audience Reviews

View More

Albus W Mar 9, 2019 Writer/director Mike Mills' touching, semi-autobiographical tribute to his and his father's own struggles -- "Beginners" -- represents a very strange installment in the pantheon of American independent cinema. It's a film with an incredibly specific worldview that admittedly had me by the proverbial throat in its first half-hour. The quirkiness, the sardonicism, the stylistic flourishes here and there -- all of it really grabbed me on an intellectual level. But, as for the second act. . .I don't really know what to say beyond, "nothing really happens that I cared about." "Beginners" never really strays away from the promises set up by its first act, but I just couldn't shake the feeling that the idiosyncrasies were wearing thin throughout the middle. What's this movie really about? What's it trying to say? Specifically? It's the kind of movie that acts as a testament to the fact that life doesn't contain specific messages on love, life, or how to live it. But I can't separate the subjective irritation I receive upon facing movies like this. Still though, the performances are great and the sentiment in the final act is undeniably authentic. You really feel as though there's an actual person behind this film. It's just that the voice is nowhere near as consistent enough. See more

Hermione S Sep 11, 2018 Beautiful performances, charming wit, and the emotions it stirs makes Beginners a romance worth your attention.

Leia W Aug 4, 2018 One of my favorite films ever. Ewan McGregor captures depression and uncertainty like no other in Beginners. He's really trying to start a new life for himself while dealing with his father's (Christopher Plumber) condition. Suddenly the lovely and ecstatic new lady (Melanie Laurent) appears in his life and his world is shaken. Beginners gives you hope while diving deep into the abyss of depression and cold emotions. It's gorgeously shot and incredibly well acted. Give it a chance! See more

Theodore G Jun 29, 2018 Oliver is a quit and quirky young man that is dealing with the hardship of losing his mother and father at different times in his life, and with the fact that, at age 75, his father came out at gay. This dichotomy of both loving his parents, and being frustrated with his parents relationship, has generated internal strife within Oliver, which is made apparent by his constant flashbacks to old memories, as well as the dark colors, slow moving, somber tones of the movie. Within the darkness that is Oliver's reality, Anna is presented as a beaken of light and hope. She is the first person to acknowledge Oliver's sadness, the first person to bring him joy. The movie is called beginners because for the firs time, the two attempt to hold on to their relationship rather than let their past experiences and destructive tendencies get in the way. The magic of this movie is how slow and silent it is. Ewan McGregor and Melanie Laurent are excellent in their roles, walking the line between reserved and expressive expertly well. There are no massive declarations of love, and though there are passionate moments, both between Oliver and Anna, and between his father and his father's lover, these moments are much more muted. The movie leaves you yearning for more, for some climactic moment that leaves you feeling satisfied. However, we are never given that. Instead, we are given these beautiful and sweet moments, moments that are still riddled with fear from past experiences and thoughts of doubt. It is in those moments of revealing their dark thoughts and feelings that Oliver and Anna really learn to love each other, but it is also this same thing that threatens to drive them apart. We also see his father, Hall, upon revealing that he is gay, becoming a passionate, fun loving man, a version of himself that Oliver's mom never got to see. Yet we also see that in keeping his cancer a secret, he drives a wedge between himself and his partner. This movie is about learning how to cope with the skeletons in ones closet without letting them get in the way of finding love and happiness. I highly recommend this movie if you are looking for a sad-but-true love story. One that feels a bit more on par with what love in real life really ends up looking like. See more

Han M Jun 20, 2018 This is by far one of the most perfect and intimate movies of our time. It is told with incredible heart and soul and wonderfully creative. In my top 20 films of all time. I strive to make a film this personal and well done one day. See more

Hagrid P Feb 27, 2018 you make me laugh but it's not funny.. Beginners A different perspective to peek into the family drama genre by metaphorically surviving through analyzing the changes in humanity, love and relations is easily a winning script. The writer-director Mike Mills is not only a smart observer that applies the ideology on paper but also aces in executing that paper on screen that will only speak wonder. Ewan McGregor; the protagonist carries it off with head held high and is supported thoroughly by a great cast and performance i.e. Christopher Plummer and Melanie Laurent. Beginners has an eerie perspective, powerful concept and amusing characters that is enlightened by stellar performance, perfect editing and excellent execution. See more

Read all reviews

Beginners

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING