Collateral Beauty

Philosophical films are a fairly new entity for filmmaking today--not that there haven't been a number of them produced, but as compared to other genres, it is a relatively newer one. Whether it be "Hereafter", The Greatest Story Ever Told", "The Passion of the Christ", Seven Years in Tibet", "Sole Surfer", "God's Not Dead", or even something comical like "Bruce Almighty" we all have a tendency to learn while in some way, be entertained as well. So now we have in the offing, "Collateral Beauty" to add to that ever growing list.

 

When a successful New York advertising executive, Howard (Will Smith) suffers a great tragedy by losing his child, he retreats from life. While his concerned work associates/friends, Whit (Edward Norton), Claire (Kate Winslet) and Simon (Michael Pena) try desperately to reconnect with him, he seeks answers from the universe by writing letters to Love (Keira Knightley), Time (Jacob Latimore) and Death (Helen Mirren). He is soon visited by representatives of the three concepts, and they, along with his close friends, help Howard return to some semblance of a normal life. As these letters bring their unexpected personal responses, he slowly begins to understand how these constants interlock in a life fully lived, and how the deepest loss can reveal moments of meaning and beauty.

 

Others to round out the cast are Naomie Harris as Madeleine, a support group officiator and Ann Dowd as Sally Price, a private detective.

 

This was delineated well by director David Frankel ("The Devil Wears Prada" '06, "Marley & Me" '08, "The Big Year" '11, "Hope Springs" '12, "One Chance" '13). Interestingly, most of his films fall into the comedy genre, which, of course this film is not. Going out of one's comfort zone is certainly to be commended as long as the filmmaker knows what they are doing, and this director did in spades. It was effectively written by Allan Loeb ("Streak" '08, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" '10, "The Switch" '10, "The Dilemma" '11, "Just Go with It" '11, "Rock of Ages" '12, "Here Comes the Boom" '12, "So Undercover" '12) plus TV movies, TV and shorts. Whereas the beginning and especially the end of this film was inviting and compelling with some surprises, the center of it was a bit non cohesive and choppy. There were basically places that I wasn't sure what was going on until maybe later in the film, so it seemed confusing. Even though Loeb is a seasoned writer--look at his resume, he just didn't have the polish in this to truly cut the mustard.

 

Certainly this film does have some surprises, but more over, it has a lot to say for those that are grieving over loved ones--in this case a child. But what starts out to be a way that Howard's friends are attempting to 'save his life', ends up giving us all something more to think about in this game called life.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                    Rated: PG-13                                    97mins.