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Review: ‘Here’ takes the elements of a ‘Gump’ reunion and flattens them into faux-cosmic tedium

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Review: 'Here' takes the elements of a 'Gump' reunion and flattens them into faux-cosmic tedium

As a seasoned cinephile with decades of movie-watching under my belt, I’ve seen directors evolve and sometimes devolve over time. Robert Zemeckis, the mastermind behind some of my all-time favorites like “Back to the Future” and “Forrest Gump,” has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride recently. The man is nothing if not adventurous, always pushing the boundaries of special effects, but not always hitting the mark.

Recently, filmmaker Robert Zemeckis has been a bit perplexing due to his mixed success. Known for iconic films like “Back to the Future,” “Forrest Gump,” “Cast Away,” “Death Becomes Her,” “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” he’s also produced movies that haven’t fared as well, such as “The Polar Express,” “Beowulf,” “Welcome to Marwen,” and the upcoming “Pinocchio.” Obsessed with experimenting with special effects and their impact on cinema, Zemeckis continually pushes boundaries, particularly with motion-capture technology. However, not all of these experiments have been successful; some projects veer into an unattractive realm known as the uncanny valley, suggesting he’s yet to fully master his innovative techniques.

In Richard McGuire’s innovative new family drama “Here,” the unique aspect is the storyline itself, which traces a family’s history across generations and centuries, all unfolding from a single vantage point. In his graphic novel, McGuire creatively depicted various time periods within a single frame by using nested frames.

In the film adaptation of “Here,” Robert Zemeckis employs a framing device as a stylistic touch during transitions, but the narrative primarily revolves around characters traversing through time while the camera remains static. This unique space is inhabited by various individuals, including a Native American couple living before Columbus (Joel Oulette and Dannie McCallum), a Victorian-era family (Michelle Dockery and Gwilym Lee) moving into their modest Colonial home, followed by the creators of the La-Z-Boy recliner (David Fynn and Ophelia Lovibond). Lastly, there’s a contemporary Black family (Nicholas Pinnock, Nikki Amuka-Bird, and Cache Vanderpuye) dealing with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement.

Primarily, the narrative revolves around a family who reside in the house for much of the 20th century: a World War II veteran named Al (played by Paul Bettany), his wife Rose (Kelly Reilly), their son Richard (Tom Hanks), and Richard’s wife Margaret (Robin Wright). Interestingly, Hanks and Wright have been digitally made to appear younger — we first encounter them as teenagers. However, the de-aging process around Hanks seems off, particularly his mouth area. While Hanks and Wright team up with director Zemeckis to create a “Forrest Gump” reunion, one might wonder why they chose to de-age Hanks when his real-life sons Colin and Truman are available. Even Wright has a daughter who bears a striking resemblance to her, Dylan Penn.

This setting holds a similarity to Forrest Gump’s narrative, where significant historical events coincide with personal tales: Benjamin Franklin (Keith Bartlett) and his son William (Daniel Betts) live in the colonial manor nearby; an expectant announcement occurs as the Beatles perform on “The Ed Sullivan Show”; and it seems that all meaningful moments happen within this seemingly insignificant living room, such as weddings, births, and separations.

The story of “Here” surrounding Richard and Margaret is relatable, entirely predictable and utterly dull. They get pregnant as teens, move in with his family, he gives up art to get a real job, she wants her own space, etc.. Ostensibly, their story is about navigating the ups and downs of life, but ultimately it turns into a rather dispiriting tale about two people taking too long to pursue the things that make them happy, and for her, it’s getting out of that damn house, though if she ever left, there would be no “Here” here.

Over time, ownership changes lead to various real estate agents appearing in the movie, making it seem as though the movie is an advertisement for home insurance companies by the end. In fact, it’s so subtly done that you might even think a home insurance logo will appear during the credits! To put it simply, this film feels more like a 30-second commercial for homeowners insurance than a full movie, and it doesn’t evoke as many tears or emotions as some short ads do.

Vanessa, Richard and Margaret’s daughter (known as Zsa Zsa Zemeckis), vanished at around age 16 and was never found again, which is unfortunate since it seems there might have been a more compelling narrative to explore – one centered around how their Gen-X daughter or grandchildren from the Zoomer generation could potentially make use of their generational wealth. However, this text doesn’t aim to delve into the complexities surrounding that topic. Instead, it finds itself contemplating the rise in property values as a possible distraction when the current story feels overly sweet and outdated.

2021 has witnessed bold cinematic ventures from veteran filmmakers like Francis Ford Coppola with “Megalopolis” and Kevin Costner with “Horizon”. Though their endeavors are commendable, it’s unfortunate that each of these projects have failed to resonate, and the same seems to be true for “Here”.

Katie Walsh is a Tribune News Service film critic.

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2024-11-01 02:31

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