Alex A.

It's such a good gripper, from the first shot I knew we were in for a ride. It all felt so disjointed but in the best way. And of course, I wish there was both a little more Cage. He is a phenomenal all in actor and it drives you insane. I just have to admit, I'm ignoring something. The end. God it sucks. It does, truly it does, it could've been so much better. Hell, it could have still been a cliffhanger but I just CAN'T with the ending we received. It could have been so much better, but instead it was just... so much and nothing. But hey. At least we get a Cagey dance and hail Satan to make for a little fun... If you can learn to live with the end, the experience is great!

I mean, it wasn't God awful. It was just really sadly disjointed and hollow. You don't feel her passion or anger or get any attachment to her. There is also a lot of romanticized stuff and it seems like they make one addict out to be the better addict which is wild to me considering reality. I know she was far from perfect, but she was more human than this portrayl of this "born an addict dies an addict" kinda thing. It just wasn't... anything. But it could have been worse I'm sure.

JUST FINISHED WATCHING IN THEATER!! I don't care what people say, if you love the franchise you will love this. It's fun, it's a bit campy, and the jumps are fun. Don't push for some exactly game like thing, but it's super fun. I was so excited and the cast is just fun. I can't stop saying how fun it is! Its not some huge horror film, it's a great piece with awesome practicality compared to a CGI "star" stuffed film like everything else you'd see. I am not just pleasantly surprised, I'm elated to watch over and over.

It was fine, the acting was incredible. Emotions were shown in word choice and these beautifully subtle expression transitions, my favorite being when Joan and Nathaniel were drinking and her smile never fully fades but express her going from amused to annoyed to saddened to almost livid. The family was a bit stale in the beginning, not entirely believable and I think David was too heavy handed with not enough shown to tell me why. I think the capture of a narcissistic type who uses the talents of their victim is well done, the small jabs and tone shifts. Even the blatant disrespect and gaslighting came off subtle and pointed without coming off too abrasive. The ending of the two finally shedding the facade they keep themselves is very good, the gaslighting and jealousy bounced against a remorseful and bubbling resentfulness was fairly well done as well, all very believable. But I just do not like it. Joan is a, blankly put, terrible character. She is a fine enough mother, but is ironically detached like the mother she wrote of. Maybe it was foreshadowing but it falls rather flatly because I couldn't find the will to care for her much. She is sweet but cardboard, motherly yet cliche- and I gather that it may be intentional, but it simply doesn't work. The story is called The Wife and yet it seems more interested in the husband. Or at least making him, the son, and the biographer more compelling. A few times she is star quality, but she is such a weak and weak-willed character. The abuse she would have faced would certainly cause a subservient person, a woman who falls for all these things her abuser wants. That doesn't excuse it though. She stays for him, I see no maternal care, no passion for her writing, nothing of her being anything more than some paper thin flimsy weak woman "lead". Now again, Close does a great job in acting and portraying these complex feelings, truly realistically. To a point where I can only argue there has to be SOMEONE in the whole world like this. We all know weak people, boring people, stupid people- they exist sure , but they aren't the best person to follow or feel fulfilled in being around. Which is exactly how I felt watching. Unfulfilled like Joan. It felt empty, it was easy to figure out what was happening almost immediately so there was no mystery, in fact when I thought there was an interesting plot to be had about maybe the husband having a memory disorder and forgetting his doings or not writing, only to find he is just a fool who never read the books he took credit for. It probably seems better in the book, but it all seems rushed and bland. The ending especially tried to put in some comedy against, what I assume, should have been a great and emotionally plunging moment and just muddled it. And his death carried no feeling but bitterness like flour in the mouth. As she coddled him and I suppose is freed, she seemed imprisoned forever and without closure, still upholding HIM over taking back or even assuming some sort of identity. She seems even weaker in his death than his life and it just spoils everything for me. It could've been a good movie but it's just not and has too little directing your attention that you could truly stop paying attention altogether.