Gyllenhaal always gives 110% to any role. He nails the Boston accent, and also shows the anger and frustration of the rehabilitation journey, along with how he reconciles with his ex girlfriend. Gyllenhaal not only is a phenomenal actor here, but his comedy shines through too. He does has chemistry with actress Tatiana Maslany.
My big issue is that the characters who portray Jeff's family are all stooges, and they are just loud and unhelpful throughout. Jeff's mom especially is a piece of work and a lot of her one liners are crass. The one credible side character was Jeff's Costco manager, who doesn't have much screen time.
I think what would have made the movie better is showing more of Jeff's anxiety of becoming a father, how he returned back to work, and how he came to terms with PTSD. While this biopic did cover a lot of ground, i admit it was repetitious and uninspiring.
This flopped at the box office, so take your pick. I think it's worth watching this just to see Gyllenhaal's acting range.
My big issue is that the characters who portray Jeff's family are all stooges, and they are just loud and unhelpful throughout. Jeff's mom especially is a piece of work and a lot of her one liners are crass. The one credible side character was Jeff's Costco manager, who doesn't have much screen time.
I think what would have made the movie better is showing more of Jeff's anxiety of becoming a father, how he returned back to work, and how he came to terms with PTSD. While this biopic did cover a lot of ground, i admit it was repetitious and uninspiring.
This flopped at the box office, so take your pick. I think it's worth watching this just to see Gyllenhaal's acting range.