The King of Hearts
When Life was first released in theaters, it was a critical and commercial success. Many considered it to be one of the best movies of the year. The film focuses on the struggles and hardships of four friends as they navigate the romantic waters in their 20s. It’s refreshing to see a rom-com that isn’t just centered on the suitors du jour. There are so many relatable storylines in Life. The character development is exceptional and the chemistry between the four lead actors is undeniable. It would be remiss of me not to mention that the directing and cinematography are both top-notch.
An Unlikely Alliance
While I was not a fan of the Twilight series before 2016, I will admit that Robert Pattinson’s career change has been one of the best story arcs of the year. He was previously best known for playing the part of Edward Cullen in the Twilight movies, but now that his acting career is blooming, it’s clear that he has far more range. He has proven that he can play romantic leads, action heroes and villains. He even had a leading role in the critically-acclaimed Good Time. It would be a crime for me not to acknowledge the excellent casting directors who found the perfect girl for the role of Rosie and the brilliant writer who conjured up this wonderful story.
A Master Class In Cinema
I have many criticisms of the Twilight movies, but on the whole I am extremely grateful for their existence. They brought so much attention to Robert Pattinson and helped launch his acting career. He is a versatile actor with a broad range who clearly established himself as a major player in the modern screen age. In Life, he displays an ability to move beyond his famous good looks and show a more layered and human side. He is surrounded by fantastic supporting actors including Kate Winslet, Liam Cunningham, and Harvey Keitel. It really is a master class in cinema. The only question is…will we see another great performance from Pattinson in the near future? I certainly hope so!
Eye Candy
I want to take a little bit of a different approach to discussing Life. Instead of diving into the story or analyzing the acting, I want to focus on the visuals and how they are used to tell the story. This is in no way a slight against the film, its actors or its director, just an observation about storytelling through cinematography. I will use myself as an example. I feel like I could easily pick a fight with anyone in the world just by looking at them. I could say things like, “Your eyes are too small,” or “You have weak eyebrows.” However, those statements would be completely inaccurate because no one would actually take that opinion seriously. When I look at a person, I usually don’t focus on their physical appearance, I look at their facial expression and how they carry themselves. In Life, Robert Pattinson is surrounded by beautiful women. That is literally all I see when I look at the film. I don’t know if it’s the lighting or the setting or what, but the women in Life are incredibly distracting. It doesn’t help that many of them are either extremely skinny or extremely voluptuous. In the grand scheme of things, it’s probably not that significant but it’s still a problem.
Into The Woods
It’s pretty clear that Life is a celebration of all things romantic. The four male leads spend a good deal of the movie trying to woo the girls they care about. The women are the objects of desire as much as the men want to possess them. Another theme that runs throughout the film is the struggle for identity. Who are you as a person when all others are looking at you? That is the question that the characters in Life struggle with. What do you do when your friends, your family, and even complete strangers want to define you by your relationship status? That is one of the core themes of Into The Woods. The characters struggle with it throughout the movie. They want to be themselves but they don’t know who that is anymore. It’s a beautiful film that explores the idea of finding one’s identity in a world that doesn’t always welcome or accept you. It’s a film that everyone should see. The only problem is that it’s a very sad movie. Even though the characters are fictional, it’s incredibly easy to connect with their story. This is an important distinction, not all movies should be able to connect with the audience. Only the best stories should be able to do that. Sometimes it’s nice to fall asleep and wake up in a cold sweat with a vivid imagination, but sometimes it’s better to be aware of the real potential tragedies that could happen. One of the ways that Into The Woods tries to prevent tragedy is by constantly forcing the characters to examine their actions and question their motives. It is a difficult task to achieve, but in the end it is what gives the film its depth. I don’t want to give anything away but if you haven’t seen Into The Woods, you should definitely put it on your list of movies to see.
Final Takeaway
I think that, as much as anything else, the biggest takeaway from Life is that it is a romantic comedy. This may come as a surprise to some people since it was mostly panned by critics and even some of Pattinson’s own friends disowned him for making the movie. It’s important to remember that critical or popular opinion should never be the driving force behind your choices in life. The people who matter the most to you have the right to define you by your actions and not your words. Life may not be for everyone, but for those looking for a romantic comedy, it is a must-see. I hope that you learned something new today and if you did, please feel free to leave me a comment below.