Mr. Movie review: Great performances wasted with nowhere to go in ‘Collateral Beauty’
Collateral Beauty stars Will Smith. At one time, he did good movies. His supporting cast are A-listers Helen Mirren, Kate Winslet and Keira Knightley and two of my all-time favorites, Edward Norton and Michael Peña.
Smith and Norton star as Howard and Whit, the founders of one of the world’s most successful marketing firms. Then Howard’s daughter dies and Howard implodes. It’s a concern so big that Whit wants Howard to authorize the sale of the company. If it doesn’t happen, Whit and other key members of the team worry the company will go to under. So they set up an elaborate scheme to get the board of directors to vote to oust Howard and allow the sale.
I rarely see trailers, but I did see Collateral Beauty’s. It promises a creative, interesting fantasy. Howard writes letters to Death, Love and Time, and then mails them. Later, he actually meets with and debates the three.
The concept had me anticipating a terrific film.
What a let down. Without giving too much away, writer Allan Loeb (Rock of Ages) and director David Frankel (The Devil Wears Prada) should have done the fantasy. Instead, they turn Collateral Beauty into collateral damage and waste exceptional talent on an expensive whine-fest that does a lousy job of exploring the reality of death, love and time.
Collateral Beauty
Director: David Frankel
Stars: Will Smith, Helen Mirren, Kate Winslet, Kiera Knightley, Edward Norton, Michael Pena, Naomi Harris, Jacob Latimore
Mr. Movie rating: 2 stars
Rated PG-13 for mature themes. It’s playing at the Carmike 12, the Fairchild Cinemas Pasco 12 and Queensgate 12, Walla Walla Grand Cinemas.
5 stars to 4 1/2 stars: Must see on the big screen.
4 stars to 3 1/2 stars: Good film, see it if it’s your type of movie.
3 stars to 2 1/2 stars: Wait until it comes out on DVD.
2 stars to 1 star: Don’t bother.
0 stars: Speaks for itself.
This story was originally published December 15, 2016 at 3:54 PM with the headline "Mr. Movie review: Great performances wasted with nowhere to go in ‘Collateral Beauty’."