Director: Courteney Cox
Writer: David Flebotte (Screenplay)
Starring: Seann William Scott, Olivia Thirlby, Garret Dillahunt, Kate Walsh, Kyle Gallner, Mackenzie Marsh
Plot: On the verge of giving up on life, a guy travels to his hometown to make amends.
Tagline – Ending it all was only the beginning.
Runtime: 1 Hour 35 Minutes
There may be spoilers the rest of the review
Verdict: Moving Story
Story: Just Before I Go starts as Ted Morgan (Scott) fills in the reasons why he returned home to kill himself, the average life he has been living and the recent break up, first he wants to return home to confront the people that pushed him back in his hometown, before he goes.
Staying with his brother Lucky (Dillahunt) and his family, he sets his plan in motion until he meets Greta (Thirlby) who wants to document this situation.
Thoughts on Just Before I Go
Characters – Ted Morgan was a dreamer in high school, but he was bullied and as soon as he was old enough he left town, he lived a normal life, in a normal employment role, but after his wife cheats on him, he decides he wants to confront his past before killing himself. Ted is the average man that never became the guy he thought he would, middle-aged and alone facing a reality he doesn’t want to be here anymore. Greta is a stranger to Ted, she wants to record document the motivation behind Ted’s choice and to try and help him find a direction. Lucky is the older brother that never put his arm around his younger brother when he was younger. This movie has wonderful characters that have affected Ted’s life in different ways.
Performances – Seann William Scott is an actor I grew up watching his comedies, but he seemed to fade away, this performance seems to be a career highlight for him, he keeps everything calm through the film which is something that is important for this role and something new for him. Olivia Thirlby is great in the supporting role too which is the type of role we can see her doing a lot. Garret is an actor you can always find in good supporting roles and this is no different.
Story – The story here follows one man who sees his life going nowhere and wants to face his past before killing himself, this is a simple side to everything, we end up dealing with a lot of everyday issues about treating people equally, dealing with the fine line between loneliness and emptiness, as well as showing that other people close to you will have their own problems. For me this is one of the most underrated stories I have seen and having been through elements of these issues I could relate to as well.
Comedy – The movie has moments of comedy, but doesn’t rely on the comedy which is something I was happy with, the drama was the main part of the film.
Settings – The film takes our character back to his own home town which shows how many people might not leave and still make a life for themselves, the settings work for the going down memory lane.
Scene of the Movie – On top of the world.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The sister-in-law is difficult to talk seriously and we don’t need her weakness.
Final Thoughts – This is a movie that hit home hard for me, I can understand Ted’s mentality and difficulties which makes this a film I wish more people could see.
Overall: Must watch for anyone that has had a hard time.
Rating
