Two movie reviews

Two movies in two days. Very Very different. The only thing they have in common is that they are not very good.

First is Larry Crowne. A romantic comedy with Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts. Mediocre acting, silly plot and too many very old jokes. Out of work, the middle aged Hanks character goes to Community College and there meets the teacher that teaches him how to "communicate" and 'changes his life'.

At best a 2** film. That translates into "OK" if just to get out of the heat.

The second is Tree of Life, Terrance Malik's long awaited cerebral movie with Brad Pitt and Sean Penn. This is probably the most confusing movie I have seen in a long time. The first 45 minutes + are a collage of beautiful photography of the universe, land and sea. The story is minimalist at best. Family of southern patriarch endure his cruelty while the viewer waits to see which son dies and why. The theme is predicted early on when the wife declares early that

Grace is undependable and Nature free. SO is this an anti religion movie? I don't know.

I am sure that there is a lot of metaphor and symbolism in the film but it escaped us. To quote another viewer " hollow piece of psuedo-art".

This is a 1* IMO meaning "don't bother" stay home and watch National Geographic and read The New Yorker's Fiction section.