it's quite hard work being a fan of film and a willing fiscal supporter
wanting to part with the bucks to sit in a darkened room with strangers
as opposed to downloading or streaming in the comfort of home in private
the problem is the limited number of enticing films on offer at the theatres
animated, superhero, rom-com, teen flick, martial arts, game-based, etc no go
which pretty well rules out most listed - so anything else up for consideration
this one - good reviews, interesting concept, respected actors, and a travelogue
the film opens with a bi-plane in a cloudy sky - a dog sitting in the rear seat
it falls out in a barrel roll manoeuvre - funny - but guessing it's all a dream
yep - hector wakes and his day starts - the voice-over providing the details
his life is supremely ordered - girlfriend clara robotically runs it for him
dresses him, knots his tie, packs his lunch, finds his keys, sends him off
the feel of a very-english-do-good film and with it a sense of expectability
though rosamund pike as clara last seen in gone girl should add a bit of edge
hector (simon pegg) is a london psychiatrist with a regular cast of patients
rushed through his office and the film only to show how ineffective he is
he dishes out rote advice and the latest drugs and books each back in again
one of his patients is a faux clairvoyant who tells hector he is about to travel
which sparks the idea for him to break out of his dull routine and take a trip
clara gives him her blessing and arms him with a blank book he must fill up
page 1 already filled in - 'the search for happiness' - and off he goes - china
bumped up to business class on the plane and buddying up with a rich banker
edward (the impressive stellan skarsgard) takes pity on the bumbling hector
shows him a good (expensive) time in shanghai with some great city footage
hector almost goes the distance with a gorgeous student - actually a prostitute
and along the way learns a few lessons which get transposed into the book
thus the mode of the film is set - travel, strangers, situations, lessons, writeup
in between there are scenes of hector as a tin-tin like character with his dog
yeah we get it - he's a boy at heart full of naivety and wide-eyed wonder
off to nepal and at the top of a mountain a monk speaking perfect english
me now border cynical because of the target audience for this feel-good flick
but we persist - it's kind of fun - next stop africa - another in-flight meeting
the neighbouring african lady be-friending him and showing him the way
one great scene follows with him letting it go with african music and dance
he then gets caught up in a kidnapping/hostage situation with guns at play
life-threatening - more lessons learnt - more one-liners to be written up
india - more/same - 'avoiding unhappiness is not the secret to happiness'
and finally he is off to los angeles where his first love agnes is living
she married, 2 kids and another on the way - he still pines for the past
clara reacts badly to his confession of the visit on their skype hookup
ditto agnes berating him about his pining - '2 words - move and on'
toni collette with a small role but demonstrating her impressive skill
being admonished by both women causes hector to lose the plot
time to go home - lots of flashbacks reminiscing on the journey
then back to london and into the arms of his waiting girlfriend
they get married, they live happily ever after - search complete
pretty lame really - and confirming who the film is made for
boring white comfortable healthy affluent straight couples
possibly not entirely happy but don't bother questioning that
it's all crazy out there anyway and past lives better left there
oh well thanks for the lesson and a few laughs along the way
but not at all convinced about the message being delivered
just too bleeding obvious and hit home like a sledgehammer
damn - the pick of the bunch pretty average at best....next...
