Not a bad movie but not for me

Rating: 5/10 (1 February 2014)

For starters, Joseph Gordon-Levitt's fine as you might expect but I was most surprised by Scarlett Johansson. She's not an actress I've ever been overly-impressed with but here she shows some range and is pretty good. I also enjoyed Tony Danza and Glenne Headly as his parents. The film starts out like a sort of romantic comedy but turns into something less pleasant and more artsy. Once Julianne Moore enters the picture, things go downhill. I quickly realized what was about to happen with the story and, not being a big fan of Moore's, my interest level dropped significantly. I liked the chemistry and banter between Levitt and Johansson early on. I didn't like the Levitt/Moore chemistry. She looks like his grandmother so that was off-putting to me. Yes, I realize that's shallow and will upset some people but that's how I feel. I didn't find their scenes romantic or sexy at all. The funny bits are sparse and what it's trying to say is not as profound as it seems to believe. I appreciate Joseph Gordon-Levitt's talent. He's a very likable actor and he directs this very well. He could have a big future ahead of him as a director. My criticisms of the movie are solely from an entertainment perspective, which is subjective obviously. I'm not a pompous indie film fan. Maybe if I was I would love it more. It's just not my cup of tea.