Saccharine, feel good cinema that treats religion as a funny game and not indoctrination that shapes world view. The easy going tone of Freemon Craig’s approach in the script allows for the coming-of-age humor to come into play but there’s no real revelatory element to the screenplay that felt new or necessary. The entire religion subplot is underdeveloped. The script explores the decision, but not the underlying reasons for the decision itself – the cultural implications, as well as the familial ones. It felt like a plot device to differentiate itself within the genre, but not deep enough to engage in the conversation.
There’s relatability in Abby Ryder Forston’s portrayal and that’s about as far as my enjoyment of this subject matter went. Partially, the coming-of-age doesn’t quite hit the same as an aging male, but I still found this take on the subject less inviting or interesting than it’s contemporaries.
However, the performances are quite good. I liked seeing Benny Safdie across Rachel McAdams, and Ryder Forster was excellent. Kathy Bates as the grandmother was a great get too. She added so much, loved her scenes, adding much needed personality. However, I felt the script didn’t deliver in a satisfying way or lead to anything challenging or revelatory. Character driving plot lines felt tact on
Review: ☆☆☆ (72)
Verdict: not weird
Weird Cinema 