They'll Love Us

Rating: 7/10 (22 December 2014)

What a strange film this is. When I first heard about a movie involving Michael Fassbender wearing a head piece for the entire film I was immediately intrigued. He's one of the best actors working today and although you don't get to see his face much, his acting chops definitely show.
First of all, it's clear from the get-go that Fassbender has a lot of fun with this role. It's probably the most obscure one of his career but he transforms himself once again into Frank, this broken down artist who is frightened to ever show his face in front of people so he hides behind a mask 24/7. Domhnall Gleeson also gives another very good performance as the newest member of Frank's band who desperately wants to become popular in the music industry. The band is full of different personalities, who of course don't particularly get along and it ends up creating major conflicts with the goals of Gleesons character. After the band becomes increasingly popular, the films plot takes a few left turns that are a bit far fetched and it almost took me out of the movie. Gyllenhaal gives one of her weaker performances as she comes off as a little bit too annoying to have any sympathy towards her character.
But the stranger the plot gets, the better the performances become. The film actually has a lot of heart and meaning behind all of the chaos. It tells us a lot about opening yourself up to potential failure because that's the only true way you will succeed. Perhaps the bands goals aren't ultimately fulfilled but the films message is. If it means something to you and your future endeavors, then the film does what it set out to do.
+Fassbender in a completely different role
+Meaningful and deep
+Original
-One too many left turns made
-Gyllenhaal
7.2/10