romar hafnaoui

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Honestly I looked forward to this movie and the trailer makes it look amazing. The way I saw it in my minds eye was much better than the actual movie. It’s a slow burn, Dylan Penn did a great job, and so did Sean Penn. But it needed more scene development, rather than one long dream sequence and a series of flashbacks that we are supposed to imagine what had happened. We see bits and pieces of a confusing life. I was hoping to see the heart more, and the way Jennifer loves her Dad even though he’s a screw up, but she only despises him more. I wanted him to at least redeem himself a bit so we felt a little sorry for him. Instead they just continue to paint him as a loser. Then he disappears for a portion of the movie in jail, while we are curious how he becomes a money counterfeiter they never show or explain it. Just camera shots like you’re flipping through someone’s stack of old photos. Spoiler Alert: Then boom he shoots himself after another unexplained chase scene. (Guess we should have read the book first) I see and understand Sean’s vision but he doesn’t quite fill in the blanks like Clint Eastwood tells a story (Mystic River) But don’t get me wrong there are a few great moments between Sean and his real daughter which I found touching, so it’s worth it to watch if you feel depressed and want to cry yourself to sleep. Uplifting it is not. There is no silver lining or happy ending. But it did produce a good soundtrack including Eddie Vedder and daughter Olivia who has a beautiful voice. It’s a wonderful vision of a dream inside a slow stoned mans mind with very little string to hold the stories notebook pages together. Go watch I am Sam or Mystic River instead. Side note for those interested in the real John Vogel: he robbed a bank before his car chase and that’s way more exciting than what happens in the movie, and he hid out and trafficked drugs too. Too much father daughter story Sean, more robbery and explanation of this interesting mysterious man (who was featured on unsolved mysteries in the 90s) would have been much more interesting and fun and would have cut the sadness in half. Why so serious? Good Luck and enjoy…

If Sandler didn’t do that stupid voice it would have been funnier, all the good ones are when he plays himself, the water boy meets Halloween...it’s a bit like watching a horror movie, but not the good kind. Love you sandman, and Halloween, just not this movie so much, I tried but it failed. Best part for me were the huge stars who unfortunately couldn’t even save this smashed pumpkin. Better luck next year! 🎃