This is an absolutely incredible, life-affirming movie that struck a major chord with me and is my favorite film of the year so far. Writer/director Chris Kelly based this largely on his own life and his experience with losing his mother, and the personal touch he brings is felt in every frame. The dialogue feels very natural and true-to-life, and the movie will have you laughing hysterically one minute and crying your eyes out the next. The opening scene actually does a great job of setting the movie's tone up perfectly. Jesse Plemons and Molly Shannon are both incredible and Oscar-worthy, IMO. I've always been a fan of Plemons from his work on
"Friday Night Lights," "Fargo" and
"Breaking Bad" and this may be his best work yet. This character is incredibly flawed but Plemons manages to make him totally lovable and someone you really root for and want to succeed. Shannon takes the 'cancer patient' mom role and brings a whole other dimension to it - she isn't afraid to play the character at her most vulnerable. The scenes where she is in the hospital getting treatment are heartbreaking. And the small moments between Plemons and Shannon are so well-played, intimate and beautiful. They have a wonderful chemistry. Their final scene together is sob-inducing. The entire supporting cast is great and the movie is filled with many fantastic character actors who leave strong impressions even with limited screentime. I feel like it's impossible not to relate to this movie in some way if you've ever lost someone close to you, felt like an outsider or have been looking for a sense of meaning in your life. It's a fantastic film and I really hope people respond to it as much as I did.
AAlso, good luck getting "Drops of Jupiter" out of your head after seeing this movie
