So I go on Netflix and come across a movie called Unicorn Store. 'that sounds cute' (I thought to myself) 'let me just check IMDB really quick to see the score'. From then on I get bombarded with negative reviews, half of which seem to be more focused on Captain Marvel then this film. But whatever, I put that aside, because whatever bias I may or may not have towards Captain Marvel, I want to judge this film on its own.
So in short I saw the whole film and I liked it. For me is wasn't the kind of comedy that made me slap my knee because I was bursting out laughing so hard (except kinda on two occasions), this is the kind of humor that made me do a double take on what weird things a characters just said, snickering a bit in disbelief. To be fair, it's kinda a weird movie.
We follow Kit, a peculiar individual to say the least, as she is pressured into adult life whilst also receiving a task that can make one of her childhood dreams come true(You can guess from the title what that is). Now with the adulthood element the film offers a 'fish out of water' scenario for Kit, because as her name suggests, expect to see a kid in Brie Larson's performance. Most comedies star someone who doesn't want to grow up, but they're better described as immature, whereas Kit is a full-grown child. Personally I found this pretty refreshing. Brie Larson plays the role really well with such a childlike wonder and stubbornness for everything. And with naive curiosity she often asks weird questions or goes off topic because of her attention span. I found most of the other characters working really well with her, providing a bit of reality in what would otherwise be a child's fantasy.
The movie does have it's problems though. I found the middle part to be dragging a bit too much, as all the little plot points are slowly prepared for Kit's work and dream quest. And to be fair I really didn't enjoy the business plotline with Gary that much. That one fell a bit flat in characters and plot importance, providing also some of the lesser comedic moments in the film.
But it does pick up again for the third act, which was I really liked. It's the act where everything begins to clash between characters and where the film begins to pack a punch in the emotional department. The comedy is at it's best, providing possibly the film's most memorable moments, and delivers a satisfying ending to the story.
In technical aspects the movie is fine. The direction and cinematography work well, but aren't much to write home about. The production design in The Store was pretty good, otherwise also just fine. The music fits pretty well with the tone. The film kinda has a minimalistic feel to it in technical regards, to be honest.
But to wrap it up, I liked this movie. It's not perfect, but it's a fun watch with some nice little life lessons wrapped up in it. Kit's developing friendship with Mamoudou Athie especially I found really endearing. Samuel L. Jackson is gloriously weird and the parents amusingly dry. I recommend watching it for yourself. It's definitely worth checking out sometime. And hopefully I don't get lynched for liking Brie Larson :)
