Directed By: Joe Dante
Written By: Alan Trezza
Cinematography By: Jonathan Hall
Editor: Marshall Harvey
Cast: Anton Yelchin, Alexandra Daddario, Ashley Greene, Oliver Cooper, Dick Miller
When Max learns that his new live-in girlfriend, Evelyn (Greene) is controlling and manipulative, he is afraid to end the relationship. However, fate occurs and Evelyn is killed in a freak accident. A couple months have passed and Max meets his dream girl, Olivia. The new romance gets tricky when Evelyn comes back from the grave and insists on continuing their once relationship by all means.
There is nothing very wrong with the film. In fact it might just be the fact that it just seems so simple and straightforward that might be it's weakness.
As the characters seem more one to two dimensional they not the film never feel real. It feels like character types in a situation. Not that there is anything. Wrong with that as long as it is entertaining or at least engages the audience.The characters are fun. i just wish there was more depth
Here it makes the whole expenditure feel kind of dull. There is fun to be had, but it feels fleeting.
While the film stays quirky and respectful. It just never really comes to life, fully. Even though it seems like it is around the corner from it.
It shouldn't feel so basic especially considering the pedigree of the director. As at this point the film seems more to be an inside joke or entertainment for him And his fans. If an audience happens to like it. Well so be it.
Alexandra Daddario is a very attractive actress. In fact it feels like she is too attractively play the role that she does. As she never feels like that awkward nerdy type girl. More like a hot actress playing that type. Not saying there Aren’t devastatingly beautiful geeky girls out there. Though this one feels more out of central casting.
It does give the fan boys what they seek. While she isn't nude. She does have a scene of mucho cleavage.
Ashley Greene is good In Her role as the girlfriend back from the dead and the script gives us some clues to her possessive nature as a character and even why the main character who finds her overbearing would continue to stay with her. Ms. Greene gives her all in a pivotal role that is also thankless as it is the one with the least amount of depth. Which seems like a missed opportunity on the filmmakers part
As mentioned before this film seems more simple minded (not in a stupid way) but it clearly knows where it wants to go and what it wants to say and refuses to be distracted. As the film seems very high concept and it knows the audience knows where it is going. So it doesn't offer any red herrings or surprises and stays relatively small scale. It doesn't even bother giving us a real or definite reason for the girlfriends return.
At times the film seems to try to be more bawdy, he. Quickly reigns itself In, As it seems to realize that is out of character. This is a clean and impressive looking film production wise. Though if watching a film and you can really focus only on that. What is happening on screen isn't that captivating.
The film just feels like it was made on whimsy and not for a real reason other than strictly to have fun. As it stays true to it's b-movie roots and allows Dante to play in his element.
Also as a horror comedy it offers few laughs and doesn't provide any actual horror or suspense. Though it does offer minor gore and pays respect and homage to classic horror films.
There is not too much of note when it comes to this film. It's an ok time waster. It's like a nice person you want to like, but you see so much potential untapped. You don't really want to be the one who says it to them.
I was really pulling for this film and wanted to like it. Thought came away disappointed.
I can't seem to decide whether it is because I respect director Joe Dante. That I am hiding it so harshly or treating it with kid gloves as the subject and material fits his type of filmmaking to a T, but the results are so unflattering and disappointing it feels like a film with a Eros signature. Not a strong conviction. Though that might be what it was aimed for pure entertainment that more would feel at home in the 80's rather then now. It might be hat nostalgic factor and that a film like this can still be made. That makes it appealing.
Director Joe Dante, Calls his film A Zom-Rom-Com That fits the films scenerio perfectly.
It's not a terrible or even a bad film. It is just one that feels more like filler, but at least it admits that to itself and too the audience as it doesn't try to be anything more. Hoping maybe the fun that they had making the film will pass onto the audience as they watch.
Grade: C
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