Sexylocher Masterful Movie

Solidrariol Am I Missing Something?

CrawlerChunky In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Kimball Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

david_kravitz Possibly the worst film I have ever reviewed and, most certainly, the lowest mark I have ever given. Watching paint dry for 91 minutes would be more exciting.I have read the other reviews, the positives and, even, superlatives are a bit like the king's new suit of clothes; you have to rave over it because it is arty, well-acted and has Philip Seymour Hoffman. No it isn't arty, the acting is so-so and yes it has PSH, but so what? The stats say it all. Hardly any form of theatrical release, finally reaching Israel in April 2015 and most other countries not at all. In Israel, most films have an artificial popcorn, drinks and you-know-what intermission in the middle. I wonder how many stayed for part two? We gave up at home. And its takings over the past five years confirm it a flop.Can I say anything positive about this film? Not a one.

MartinHafer This is an odd film. It starts off a lot like "Marty" and you feel a connection to the characters, but by the end, the film's more like "What Ever Happened to Virginia Wolfe?" (with all the arguing and substance abuse)...and that's a combination that just didn't sit well with me.Philip Seymour Hoffman had apparently starred in the play on which this film is based. In addition, he directed this low-budget project. How the two projects differ, I can't say, as I never had a chance to see the play.Hoffman plays a very shy and insecure middle-aged guy who is single. His friend sets him up with a lady who is equally shy and socially awkward. While neither really open up much at their initial meeting, over time a relationship slowly develops--at which time you learn more about the two characters. She is carrying some emotionally baggage and cold probably use a sex therapist, as she is phobic about being touched. He is incredibly unsure of himself and worries excessively about screwing up. In many ways, these two people did remind me of the characters in "Marty"--but they seemed to have MUCH more emotional baggage and were much more constricted emotionally. Because of this, the film was VERY dry and slow...glacially slow. Now I could have stood this, as I did connect with the pair. But, sadly, late in the film, the couple that introduced the two began to act almost exactly like Richard Burton and Liz Taylor from "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolfe?"--and it just didn't fit with what had already been established. I wanted to see these two sweet screwed up folks together--not watch the Bickersons drink, do drugs and argue in the most vicious manner. It truly made my skin crawl.Overall, I would not watch the film. The first portion is great--the last, too dominated by the screwed up couple, was tough going. I think a tighter focus would have helped this film considerably. It's a shame, as the acting and some of the characters were nice.By the way, if you are interested, the title is referring to the risks Jack (Hoffman) is willing to take to change and grow. Despite a fear of water and unable to swim, he promises to take his new girl boating--and subsequently learns to swim and overcome his fear.

lewiskendell "You've never been in a relationship for any length of time. A lot happens."Jack Goes Boating is a raw, hard to categorize directorial debut for Philip Seymour Hoffman, adapted from the play of the same title. I guess if I had to assign it a genre, it would be indie drama. The story follows the hesitantly blossoming relationship between Jack (Hoffman) and Connie (Amy Ryan), and the rocky, established relationship of their friends Clyde (John Ortiz) and Lucy (Daphne Rubin-Vega). Jack Goes Boating reminded me of Two Lovers in some ways. It involves flawed people making decisions that aren't always the wisest ones, and dealing with things in their past that make their current relationships more difficult. Don't expect this to be romantic or cutesy, it attempts to go for the "realistic" angle, with all the problems and realities that come with real adult relationships. That's derailed a bit by the occasionally awkward dialogue and characters that aren't really as fleshed out as they needed to be. We don't get much of a sense of who they used to be or what their past was like, and that would have added to the movie immensely. It's somewhat difficult to put into context the characters as they are now, without that information.  Still, I think this was a pretty decent debut from Hoffman. He's clearly in the process of learning what works from the other side of the camera, and it's puzzling why they didn't adjust the odd, romance novel-like dialogue in some places, but overall, Jack Goes Boating hints at a promising future. There are some poignant moments that really stuck out, to me. Fans of Hoffman and Ryan (count me as both) should check it out.

evanston_dad It's never a pleasure to report that a film project brought to life largely through the efforts of someone whose work you greatly admire is a misfire, but such is the case with "Jack Goes Boating." Philip Seymour Hoffman, one of the best actors currently working, directed, co-wrote and stars in this oddball "comedy" about two sad sacks who find love in each other. It's like a darker, updated version of "Marty," with Hoffman standing in for Ernest Borgnine and the part of the wallflower, played memorably by Betsy Blair in the earlier film, played here by Amy Ryan. However, there's no rooting interest in this film as there was in "Marty." The characters played by Hoffman and Ryan are so weird, Ryan's especially, as to be nearly mentally ill. Indeed, Ryan's character is terribly written, as is the only other female character in the movie, a mutual friend played by Daphne Rubin-Vega as a vicious harpy. Her husband is Hoffman's best friend, and the film's major set piece is a disastrous dinner party at which Hoffman and Ryan watch their married friends, along with their marriage, self-destruct before their very eyes. I guess we're supposed to understand from this why Hoffman and Ryan are both so relationship shy; neither wants to end up in something as awful as the marriage that apparently serves as their only frame of reference. Are there no other married couples in the entire city of New York who might set a different example? The tone and pacing of the film is stilted and odd, as if Hoffman was trying too hard to give his film a quirky vibe. It's only 90 minutes long but it feels much longer thanks to the numerous slow and painful conversations we have to endure from these characters who remain at best obtuse and at worst downright unlikable.Grade: C