Iseerphia All that we are seeing on the screen is happening with real people, real action sequences in the background, forcing the eye to watch as if we were there.

Ogosmith Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Usamah Harvey The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Philippa All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Smoreni Zmaj This movie was on my watch-list only because Johnny Depp was in it. It turned out that his character, although whole story rotates about him, shows up for just a few minutes, but instead I was pleasantly surprised with excellent cast. I never saw Toni Collette before, but she was awesome carrying her role and basically whole movie. And if I knew that Ryan Eggold is one of main actors this movie would be on my watch- list even if there was no Johnny Depp.This is slow and easy emotional drama about rock reporter whose career withers away and who gets assignment to write article about popular musician who went missing decade ago, leaving behind his career and her, his long-term girlfriend. While it was generally accepted that he committed suicide, his body was never found and she has several reasons to believe he is still somewhere out there. Accompanied by another ex-boyfriend, who wants to shot documentary about whole thing, she begins the quest to find him. While searching for answers for her article, in process she explores her own past, her emotions and meaning of own life. At the end she finds not exactly what she was searching for, but what she needed to take back control over her own life and future. This is not cinematographic masterpiece, but it is warm human story in which we can all find parts of ourselves, cause every one of us at least once in our lives had some part of our past dragged along for too long.7,5/10

kaladan I caught this movie by recording it off of one of the pay channels. Like many movies I had little expectation for the quality of this movie; however, the cast had me hoping and I was not disappointed. I found this movie to be very moving and bitter sweet. It is a movie that requires a viewer to have lived life to some degree, and have experienced some moments lost to the years that creep into memories now and again. This movie evoked similar feelings within me. A challenge that is not easily accomplished anymore.Though a buddy movie in the typical sense, this movie is about Toni Collette looking back on her life to discover she is living the same relationship again and again. I do recommend this movie for others, especially those that might have some "I wonder moments" in their lives.

Likes_Ninjas90 The comedy-drama Lucky Them is helmed by three women working as the director, co-writer, and star. The film first screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2013. It was released in the US nine months later. Comparatively, other films from the festival directed by men including 12 Years a Slave,Philomena and Prisoners, were released under three months later in the US. Why has it taken an additional year and a half for this film, starring no less than two Oscar nominees in Toni Collette and Thomas Haden Church (Sideways, Spider-Man 3), to be released in Australia? Either the film isn't spectacular or it's increasingly difficult for women to etch themselves into the film market, currently dominated by men. Truthfully, it's a bit of both.Ohio born filmmaker Megan Griffiths (pictured below), who directed the film, holds several accolades to her name including a B.A in visual communications and an MFA in Film Production from the Ohio University School of Film. She was named Emergent Narrative Female Director in 2011 and one of the Artists of the Year by City Arts magazine in Seattle. Griffiths directs the film from Emily Watchtel's semiautobiographical screenplay. Emily Watchtel co- wrote the film with Huck Botko but it's developed from her experiences of the music scene and dating. She told Indiewire she once interviewed celebrities, including musicians, and struggled as an actress. She intended the film to be a television show, reflecting its minor slice of life scale.As a writer Watchel worked under the pseudonym Ellie Klug, the name of Collette's character. Ellie is a forty year old music critic, who drinks too much and is struggling to impress Giles (Oliver Platt), the editor of her print magazine. The publication is fading and to boost its interest again he wants her to write a story about a musician named Matthew Smith, who supposedly died going over a waterfall ten years ago. Smith was also Ellie's ex-boyfriend who walked out on her before the plunge. She offers a brutal, darkly funny assessment of him: "He's not dead, he's just an asshole who's gone." Meanwhile, Ellie's also caught between two men: Lucas (Ryan Eggold), a young musician who excites her frivolous side while she interviews him and Charlie (Haden Church), a rich, older but pompous goofball with no interest in music. She reluctantly pairs with Charlie after he lends her money and he films a documentary about their search for Matthew.The film stylisations are limited to highly retro decor. There are neon signs and grainy, brown colour tones, which along with Ellie's love of old vinyl records, highlights a sense of nostalgia for the past. The film compliments its style thematically through a tug of war between the past and the present of Ellie's life, not dissimilar to films like The Skeleton Twins, Young Adult and Greenberg. The narrative type is a belated coming of age story, where a person edging closer to middle age must relinquish their grip on the past. For these characters it is pleasurable to be young again, holding onto the memories of bad relationships, and shielding themselves from the shallowness of their present day lives. The film is also about her unlikely relationship with two men: one too young for the long haul and the other pulling her closer to the reality of aging.Watchel's humorous script is easy to digest but has contrivances, like the way Ellie loses the money first given to her by her boss and a light bulb moment near the end. The side characters are also weakly drawn and unevenly directed. Lucas, with spiked hair, v-neck shirts and guitar ballads, is rendered like Ellie's dream guy or someone from a band poster. Thomas Haden Church is funny as Charlie but the part is written and played very broadly and more suited to a caricature from a sitcom like The Office. The same is true of his hippy girlfriend who appears briefly. Quirkiness from these characters is pleasurable but along with the nostalgic yearnings it subdues the risk or danger from the middle act. Only by the last portion can see how destructive Ellie's actions are towards others. Toni Collette brings an enjoyable leading presence. Her hardened cheekbones and slightly gaunt face are physical attributes befitting of Ellie's slightly edgy lifestyle and her mannerisms like eye-rolling and smirks aptly signpost her character's immaturity. Although I laughed several times at the cast's low-key humour, this isn't exactly new or daring material when films are desperately in need of fresh voices.

mako flik Lucky Them is a film I cannot stop thinking about. You could say it is a cautionary tale of what not to do with your career and personal life once you hit 40. However, Ellie Klug's flawed character beautifully portrayed by Toni Collette shows the audience that no matter how much Ellie screws up, she still manages to attract a young, hot musician, Lucas Stone played by the yummy Ryan Eggold. Ellie will land on her feet once she lets her guard down among her most loyal friends. Her hard edges eventually soften with Charlie, a guy she dated a couple of times and co-pilot on her assignment to find Matthew Smith, an elusive Seattle Rock Star who disappeared 10 years ago. Thomas Haden Church's monotone funny character portrayal of Charlie is hilarious. You want more of his character in every frame. The writing is funny and brilliant in a way in which it compels you to love these soggy Seattleites. Especially some guy at the end of the film, whom we all would love to grab a latte and listen to the soundtrack of Lucky Them together. I love this movie and highly recommend seeing it – definitely worth the price of the ticket!