The newly released film “Miss You Already”, presented by New Sparta
Films is directed by Catherine Hardwicke and stars Drew Barrymore
(Jess), Toni Collette (Milli), Dominic Cooper (Kit), Paddy Considine
(Jago), and Jaqueline Bisset (Miranda).
It’s a film about two lifelong friends and the struggles that they face
personally as well as difficulties that are all wrapped up in and
entwined with their friendship.
Milly and Kit are married with two children and live a fast paced life
centered around Kit’s business endeavors, while Milly and her boyfriend
Jago live a quieter, slower existence.
I admit I first watched the previews online for this movie only when I
was offered the screener.
Drew Barrymore has always been a favorite actress of mine, therefore
anything with her in it piques my interest.
Going into this film, I really had high hopes.
Unfortunately, my high hopes were not rewarded with a stellar movie.
The good:
The movie takes on the harsh reality of having breast cancer. Its more
than a “wear pink to bring “awareness” to the cause” film, and really
does show a bit of how bad it can be to have breast cancer. The chemo.
The radiation. The uncertainty. The hair loss. It portrays the emotional
turmoil that such a diagnoses can bring, and how it can turn your life
and your family on end and upside down.
It also tackles, though less in depth, the struggles women can face with
infertility and the struggle to decide on and follow through with a plan
of action.
Drew Barrymore does a great job of being the stalwart friend, who is
always there for her bestie in her time of need, emotionally and
otherwise, always putting herself and her own needs to the back burner
while caring for Milli.
The bad:
It must be the writing. Toni Collette does a good job with the given
material, in my opinion, however….. Her character is written as such a
jerk, it was REALLY hard to connect emotionally with the story and the
film and the actors around her because all I could think was that she
was acting like an ass!
I couldn’t really get into the story and the relationships between the
members of the cast until Milli has to tell her kids devastating news.
At that point, I was emotionally vested, but also at that point in the
movie Milli had stopped behaving like a jerk, and came across much more
human. There were also only about 15 to 20 minutes left in the film by
that point as well.
Its rated PG-13, but I don’t think I would let any 13-year-old of mine
see it, regardless of their maturity level. Maybe a 17-year-old, and not
because of excessive language or anything, it’s just a tough subject to
deal with and putting it out there “on the big screen” for a young
teenager to see, in MY opinion, just isn’t appropriate. It’s a situation
(again in my opinion) that should be addressed at home.
All in all, I would have to give this movie 2.5 out of 5 stars. I
sincerely wish I would have liked it more.
