Moustroll Good movie but grossly overrated

Beanbioca As Good As It Gets

BeSummers Funny, strange, confrontational and subversive, this is one of the most interesting experiences you'll have at the cinema this year.

Matho The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

john32935 The initial premise is a good one - how a tragedy can make someone lose his/her faith and the principles on which he/she has based living. And then (about 10 minutes into the movie) it goes off the tracks and devolves into a bad after school special - a really, really bad one.Lamb (a very bad character name) is supposed to have been protected from the evils of pop culture but when she travels through Vegas she seems to know quite a few pop culture references. The bad girl activities which she undertakes are lame and tame. The "jokes" are even worse…"I'll have the Peach Shnap" as she misreads the bottle behind the bar. Ha Ha.The backstory for 2 people who befriend her are glossed over - thereby wasting the talents of Octavia Spencer (and maybe Russell Brand if I am being generous in the definition of "talent"). Oh yeah, Lamb's parents (the extremely talented Holly Hunter and Nick Offerman) barely register any screen time or decent dialog and are additional examples of wasted opportunities.Sure, Lamb grows some through her experiences but it all comes too easily and too readily to her. And the audience can see the resolution way before it happens.Such a disappointment from a talented writer and director, and a gifted cast so badly misused.

gemaria16 Bravo to Diablo Cody - this film is not for those looking for fast cars, explosion, raucous sex and heads hitting the screen even though most of the scenes take place in Las Vegas. This film is more gentle than the sarcasm in Juno and the main character is much more innocent and benign than in Young Adult. I have only seen Julianne Hough in Safe Haven, but she brought Lamb's crises of faith to life with a believable mix of emotions and believable physical and emotional suffering after a personal and physical tragedy. The opening scene of her denouncing the conservative culture of her cloistered, religious community is hilarious and an effective set up for why Lamb chooses Vegas as her travel destination. Although the humor and drama is more tame after that, I enjoyed traveling on Lamb's journey as she ventures to Las Vegas, NV, "Satan's adult playground", to begin taking control her life and experiencing the world beyond her small town. I loved the genuine scene as she is approaching the zip line launch pad and she exclaims, "I'm so excited" as her friends are reluctant - it was the embodiment of youth and invulnerability which her character hadn't had in a while. This was the first time I'd seen Russell Brand and Octavia Spencer, and I enjoyed the unveiling of the relationship between their very likable and appealing William and Loray - for people at a waystation in life and in the underbelly of the service industry, forming familial bonds is one of the touching things that gets you through. And although the script shows us that Loray is sarcastic and avoidant, and William is a bit of player but with a good heart, it's in the gentle safety of their bond that they decide to be Lamb's guardian angels for the night, and in the process evolve a bit more themselves. Their kindness and flow is a contrast to the detached Amber in the somewhat awkward bathroom scene when Lamb realizes she has overdone it, but this shows Lamb (or the viewers) they are truly her friends and as she shares once they find her again in the overwhelming crowd, "Not everyone's wounds are on the outside." I found it completely refreshing that William protected Lamb's innocence when she made a pass, and there were no gunshots or car explosions. Nick Offerman and Holly Hunter were comical in their unfortunately, accurate perception of conservative and religious America that tunes out any people or information that might challenge or enlighten their beliefs (and this is part of what makes the script, and Diablo Cody, clever and smart) but Lamb gains the confidence through her suffering and Las Vegas experience to love them anyway and literally soar beyond their confines to live her life to the fullest and help others. A surprising gem and pleasure to watch, even an inspiring reminder that life is short and the world is big, so get to it. As William says at 4am to an exhausted and confused Lamb, "There are more places than the extremes of where you're from and Las Vegas on the continuum, you know."

hollywood_rocker I watched the trailer and I immediately wanted to rent it. The story alone is great, Russell is in it too so I thought thats a bonus. I had no idea who the actress was in this movie. She was phenomenal! Her beauty and great acting made this story come to life. This isn't just a movie. It's a story of a girl who pursues dreams. She got sick of her life and wanted to break free of the restraints and her injury. I really enjoyed the movie. I got lots of smiles, laughs, and heartfelt moments. Immediately after the movie I had to find out who this amazing actress was, cause she also sang well and I knew that was her voice. Julianne Hough......come to my surprise she's been on the top country charts, she has a few movies and is making another one right now called Curve. I see her becoming a big actress. I would highly recommend this movie if you're looking for some laughs, get a bunch of smiles, and you want something inspirational. After the movie, she makes me want to get up and do what she did.

Thomas DeVito As someone who is a major fan of Diablo Cody's I wasn't entirely let down. But I also wasn't fully satisfied either. Cody's directorial debut lacks a sort of flare that Juno and Young Adult have. This is not a bad movie, it's just not what I expected from someone with such talent. The acting was great but the supporting characters could have used a little more back story. I'd say that it is still worth the watch. There's some funny one liners and the plot is something new and refreshing. The good news is, when Diablo finally finds her directing niche, it will hit the nail in the head. With a little more practice, Cody will definitely coin another fantastic film. Overall, not her best work, but also a hell of a lot better than most of the garbage that's being made today. Go watch it!