Here
Starring: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Paul Bettany, Kelly Reilly
Directed By: Robert Zemeckis
Here is an ambitious project by Robert Zemeckis that reunites the Forrest Gump director with Tom Hanks and Robin Wright. The bold film feels a lot like a stage play as it all takes place in one central location over the span of hundreds of years. The non-linear narrative bounces back and forth between multiple timelines exploring a Native American tribe, a Victorian-era family, a young 1940s couple, a post-WWII couple that raises their family in the home, and short-term renters staying through the pandemic as they attempt to find a new house. There are a slew of unique personalities that pass through the space. However, the film conveys that despite centuries of cultural changes, humanity sees many of the same patterns. The characters are met with birth, love, joy, death, grief, and personal growth. (And Benjamin Franklin. He shows up a little more than you would expect.) The world around them may change but many things stay the same here.
There are many things I admire about this film. I appreciate any time a director tries out a bold concept. Zemeckis is bold in his approach. Keeping the camera in one spot for the majority of the film is a difficult task. The characters run in and out of frame but the camera is stagnant to reflect the resiliency of the spot. The usage of AI in this project has been widely discussed. When Tom Hanks is cast as an 18-year-old, it’s safe to say there’s a lot of de-aging technology at work. Not to get on a soapbox, but I’m not a big proponent for AI in the film community. It takes away a lot of jobs for creatives. However, this is a high-concept project and it is interesting how it’s being utilized to showcase change over several years. Does it make Tom Hanks and Robin Wright look like 18-year-olds? Not really. But for this concept, it’s kind of unique. I don’t ever want to see another Facebook or Instagram AI post ever again though. Whoever is making those, please put everyone out of our misery and stop.
The cast performs very well. Tom Hanks and Robin Wright are the central focus as Richard and Margaret. Wright is the emotional heart of the film as a woman stuck in a life that she can’t believe has passed her by so quickly. It’s a wonderful performance that is honestly quite sad to watch. Both Richard and Margaret had big dreams that were dismantled by the sad reality of the real world. (and the rapid aging of Robert Zemeckis’ AI). Maybe they will find their dreams again. Paul Bettany and Kelly Reilly are also quite good in the film as Al and Rose. Bettany is Hanks’ stern WWII vet father with a drinking problem and Reilly is the saintly mother who always has the house in order.
I have some issues with the film. The nonlinear structure causes Here to feel extremely fragmented at times. It feels that there’s barely any emotional connection to some characters while others get most of the spotlight. This is at its core the story of Al, Rose, Richard, and Margaret. However, some of the other residents of the home get about 3 emotional scenes, then they’re done. There is a moment when one character dies in the early 1900s and then the edit cuts to the timeline of Richard gleefully sharing family movies at Christmas. It’s a tonal shift that falls incredibly flat. A somber moment for one character turns into a gleeful moment for another. Moments like this happen a few times in the movie because of the choppy narrative structure.
Despite my issues, I can’t say this movie didn’t emotionally impact me. The way Here highlights the passage of time haunted me. It pinpoints the harsh reality that people have so many dreams that unfortunately get interrupted by life. I also appreciate the way the film showcases the parallel in shared human experiences despite massive gaps in time.
Here is a very ambitious film with a messy narrative structure, but I walked away appreciating the performances and story as a whole.
My Rating: 6/10