Remembrance

Not sure how this movie got developed, but half of it is absolutely spectacular in story, locations, performances, the whole deal. That's the part of the story that deals with the past. The storyline here is well cast, beautifully acted, really nicely developed in every single area. It is an 8-9 star movie here.

However, and it's a BIG However, the modern-day segments of the story leave ever so much to be desired. The relationships between the characters are poorly developed, the acting is stilted, wooden. Actors throwing lines at one another like darts. The set is OK, but just OK. The storyline in the modern segments does not flow, doesn't even make sense sometimes. Like when the main character's daughter asks her a question and is given an absent-minded answer, to which she replies: "I don't believe it! You're lying to me!" There was no lying involved. There was barely an answer at all. Also, one of the main, most salient lines of the modern-day protagonist, which is repeated twice is really-really badly delivered. This robs it of all its depth and meaning.

All in all, I'm glad to have seen this movie for the good parts. And, because the good parts were so very good, I can only mourn how wonderful the whole movie could have been, had it been given the same treatment throughout. Were there two directors maybe???