Film Review: "Men, Women & Children" (2014).

"Everyone's searching for a better connection" in Men, Women & Children. This comedy-drama film directed by Jason Reitman, adapted by Reitman and Erin Cressida Wilson, and based on a novel of the same name by Chad Kultgen. The film follows the story of a group of high school teenagers and their parents as they attempt to navigate the many ways the internet has changed their relationships, their communication, their self-image, and their love lives. The film attempts to stare down social issues such as video game culture, anorexia, infidelity, fame hunting, and the proliferation of illicit material on the internet. As each character and each relationship is tested, we are shown the variety of roads people choose - some tragic, some hopeful - as it becomes clear that no one is immune to this enormous social change that has come through our phones, our tablets, and our computers.

By mid December 2013, Rosemarie DeWitt, Jennifer Garner, Judy Greer, Dean Norris, Adam Sandler, Ansel Elgort, Kaitlyn Dever, J. K. Simmons, David Denman, Jason Douglas, Phil LaMarr, Elena Kampouris, Travis Tope, Timothée Chalamet, and Emma Thompson were cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced, and took place in Austin, Texas. Reitman felt so much of the acting in the film was so based on reactions to texts, chats, and photos that using dummy screens with no text would not suffice. The production team had to create very realistic-looking versions of popular websites, all on their own tightly controlled software, with which the actors and actresses could interact in real-time. According to Reitman, they spent "the same amount of budget on creating the digital world as we did creating the physical one. People know what Facebook looks like better than they do a hotel lobby, you stare at it all day, so it had to be convincing."

The film stars DeWitt, Garner, Greer, Norris, Sandler, Elgort, Dever, Simmons, Denman, Douglas, LaMarr, Kampouris, Tope, Chalamet, and Thompson. The film delivers a smart blend of humor and emotion with just enough edge for mainstream audiences, thanks to the dramatic performances by its cast.

Men, Women & Children is probably the smartest, darkest drama of the year thus far. It has appeal to all sides of the social spectrum. This gloomy and intelligent rarity that elicits nervous smiles and laughs alike. It is a smart and gloomy movie that shrewdly adapts the novel. One of the brightest, darkest dramas of the year, the film's smart script and direction are matched by assured performances in a human drama with a 21st century twist. It's tough to capture an era while it's still happening, yet the film does so brilliantly, with such insight and humanity. Reitman emerges as a modern-day Frank Capra, capturing the nation's anxieties and culture of resilience. It touches on larger themes of mass online addiction, cultural alienation and technology as a crutch. But ultimately, it's really an expertly done character study that's a dramatic change of pace from Reitman's previous films.

Simon says Men, Women & Children receives:

Also, see my review for Labor Day.