I came away feeling undecided. I expected an indie film journey and something mimicking the trailer, both were mistaken. This is a dark movie, it took a sleep to appreciate its subtleties. The film is about the lead characters fall from a solid family foundation. It pulls him into a downward spiral that includes drug abuse, fraud and deception. The titles artwork carries another storyline deeply intertwined with the first but presents a premise that art stewardship lives beyond our own mortality and needs to be protected. Finn Wolfhard does a good job of his role, the leads ambassador to the dark side, the leads nemesis and his own unique play of a physically abused kid just trying to survive his dark reality whatever way he can. Personally I prefer a storyline where characters are more in control, you are presented this tale as a kid who loses mom and then behaves erratically to keep her alive by his stealing the artwork. Expecting that evolutionary tale it swings wide and leads the audience stumbling to piece it together. A web of happenstance meetings between characters moves things along but you can't help but feel the main is a passenger along for the ride. It's a brooding long story, it's a little contrived with coincidence but life can be that way. If you dig movies on the fringe, which clearly all involved including renowned DP Roger Deakins doing what he does best did by signing up, this is a talent filled, heavy with some giggles along the way, decent movie. After some time to reflect, a movie worth seeing.
Review of The Goldfinch
