David Dorwart – Google

I lived in Manhattan for nearly 25 years. I recognize the characters in this film for better or worse as archetypal natives and professional New Yorkers. Therein lies a challenge for the writer, that her characters are not cliched and caricatures. Despite good performances (including Menzies' excellent American accent) for the first half of the film I was annoyed with the characters all of whom seemed neurotic and desperate for external validation. By the end I thought the script just barely substantiated the characters enough for me to care, that their journey taught them more adult ways to communicate, and that the writer-director's therapist must be pleased. Sorry if this hurts her feelings (terrible title BTW).

Under better direction and editing, the film might have been more palatable. The scenes lack pace and snap and real tension. Part of that is due to the lack of chemistry between romantic leads, although Dakota Johnson demonstrates the potential. One has to earn moments of longing, backed by romantic music. Here there is an overall mental and literal score that just doesn't excite, either in the repressed painful love or in the social witty banter. Found myself fast forwarding numerous times. Director should have studied the wonderful Emma Thompson "Sense and Sensibility" or some of the better Masterpiece Theatre adaptations. All very etiolated and second fiddle IMHO. Shame really.

I enjoyed the vitality of another recent film "Finding Figaro" more. Both have classical music as a background, which is increasingly a novelty in movies these days. Unfortunately, "I'll Find You" (a rather insipid title in my opinion) lacks a reality and urgency despite being set in World War II Poland. The stakes are high, but the lead, a quite charismatic Leo Suter (who might make a great James Bond down the road) is given a script where he manages to jump from death defying scenes and time with way too much ease (and with barely a hair out of place). Mostly, I'm sorry to say that the object of his affection, his Eurydice/Carmen, is mostly stone faced, her internal world rarely registering on her face, which makes the chemistry between the leads more in their heads than on screen. I thought her adolescent version (apparently a violin prodigy) had far more fire and magnetism.

The Arts are a demanding mistress, and for those who are not artists, the commitment required is often misunderstood. But whether it's the arts or athletics or business, all disciplines demand commitment and sacrifice to achieve success, especially in the major leagues. Success itself varies, and "Tick, Tick...Boom" places success not on dollars and power, but on being appreciated for one's vision, in Larson's case a humanist's vision of a better world. Like so many artists in the past who weren't appreciated in their lifetime and became successes only posthumously, in an ironically cruel twist of fate, Larson missed seeing his vision realized by one preview. Lin-manual Miranda has admirably and sensitively brought to life Larson's almost Quixotic quest and in so doing has not only paid homage to Larson but to the journey upon which so many artists must embark. A loving tribute.

Something's amiss in this adaptation. Suspect most of the ingredients are there -- although perhaps not the chemistry among some of the actors -- but I'd place the fault at the feet of the director (and editor). Faithful and foursquare but not tense and compelling, despite the twist -- which must have been downright shocking in its day when psychology was gaining greater credibility. Director really needed to study Hitchcock or more recently Branagh. Utterly unsatisfied with the abrupt ending. Maybe faithful to Ms. Christie, but writers should have come up with something more imaginative. Masterpiece theater does it all around better. 'Tis a shame really as I love the genre but would not be restricted by past aesthetics and style in telling such a story in the 21st Century.

Strong performances help tell a story that still resonates -- alas -- in the 21st Century. Bettany's a really fine actor, one of our best, and just about manages to overcome the cliched aspect of the story. In the 21st Century would like to see a protagonist who has overcome and reconciled others' bigotry and faces not so much his past demons as those of helping (or not) another who struggles. A little too much self loathing still for my money and, thus, perpetuating (even as it indicts) old tropes.