Beautiful and Compelling Story - Ignore the Critics

Rating: 10/10 (20 January 2017)

Beautiful story of people's longings for beauty, companionship, love, and meaning. Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence give compelling performances. An excellent plot and realistic though heart-wrenching decisions make the story incredibly satisfying.
The characters' choices drive the movie. Their choices and the consequences are dealt with in a believable and entertaining way, and each decision feels weighty and pervasive. Ignore the negative reviews; the critics are way off on this one. Most of them have a knee jerk reaction to one of the plot's main decisions without weighing the unique circumstances the characters are placed in. At no point in this movie is there any compulsion or coercion, and the fateful decision of the movie, though difficult, is not so from any malicious overtone. Rather the decision hinges more on human frailty than anything else, and it is intended to make us empathize with the characters, feeling the burden of the situation. Even so, the movie makes no attempt to justify this decision, but lets the viewer weigh it and the consequences that follow with the characters. These consequences are also dealt with in a realistic and compelling manner and are resolved in a satisfactory way that respects the choices and wills of the other characters.
All in all, a beautiful film with a great story. It touches on transcendental themes that have affected all men and women at all times, and through its poignant moments, brilliant acting, and compelling story, it conveys a story that is both satisfying and inspiring.