hearthstoneivan
7.5/10 Watching Demolition felt like being spoon-fed caviar. The one who feeds you expects both appreciation of its fine taste and a complete lack of skills regarding the use of silverware. While all that caviar is still appetizing, it would be a lot better if you didn't hear a "Choo Choo, open your mouth!" whenever the ordeuver is tasted. As ever Gyllenhall has been fantastic playing a grieving quirky character, whose letters serve both as therapy and exposition devices for the audience. Naomi Watts is a bit underused, as a melanchonicly calm woman with a redneck husband and a rebellious kid. The journey is tight and collected, opposed to the behavior of these individuals whose story we follow. Everyone talks in an odd, overexplainable manner, which kind of bothered me throughout. As Gyllenhalls character says: "Everything has become a metaphor", you feel spoiled with all this unnecessary commentary of things meant to be subtle. We all know that him destroying his house, acting sporadically and delving into small issues isn't just a random eccentricity, but an allegory for his suffering. Speaking of suffering, Judah Lewis convincingly plays a teenage brat with an internal conflict of his own. Seeing a great kid actor nowadays is always a breath of fresh air.Conclusion:
Demolition explores themes that have the need to be explored, though not with a sledgehammer and a hunting knife. It's short, tight and persuasively watchable, despite so on-the-nose. Worth watching for the great performances and the wonderful character interactions.
annaily
I really loved this movie. A whole lot. Wow. The story really resonated with me.The movie follows the connections shared by Davis with Karen, and Davis with Karen's son Chris, as well as other characters, as they take apart their own lives, demolishing their pain, and building a new life together. We get a glimpse into the pain experienced by people that can be healed through destroying the past, rebuilding for the future, and connecting with others.Every character is multi-dimensional, experiencing inner turmoil, struggling in their own ways. Even the deceased character (no spoiler, but it's pretty obvious who unless you know nothing about the movie) is multi dimensional and we learn about her own struggles.Physical pain vs emotional pain, and physical possessions vs personal connections are large themes of the movie. The ability to feel feelings, to control them, and the joy that comes once you feel free to release them. Sometimes you need to destroy and take everything apart to fix it.There are moments of raw human emotion and vulnerability, laughter, regret and grief, childlike connection, painful isolation and loneliness, forgiveness and sorrow. It's truly an astounding experience. I laughed and cried and felt this movie was written about my own life.I found it breathtaking seeing pain and comfort in this way. How two people who are complete strangers can have an immediate connection, one that is very unique and deeper compared to relationships characters spent years building. This story may not be for everyone, but I found it shockingly compelling, poignant, and relatable.
Cali
This movie lacked a lot of depth to me. Jake G is probably my favorite actor right now but this movie was a waste for him. He acted well based on what he was given but the writing isn't great and the character development is not the best. I just didn't understand the choices that the characters make throughout the movie. A movie about grief with an amazing actor at the forefront and a great director behind the screen sounds awesome but this sadly is not! So bummed.
P.uncia
Ten out of ten! How often is that? I go by gut feelings when rating, but even after a week I still feel the same. Demolition is about grief, but it's never dull or overly sentimental. All the characters are interesting. It's not spelled out for you, so you get nuances. The movie handles a very dark theme, but it does't feel heavy or depressing to watch it. On the contrary, it carries hope. The actors are superb, also the child. This film is portraying truth about the complexities of emotions, and how our society is ill-equipped to handle it. But sometimes what we need is not what we think...The atmosphere, music, filming and cutting all adds up. I highly recommend it.
AD
