ALL IS BRIGHT: IMDB Synopsis
While out on parole, Dennis (Paul Giamatti) reluctantly takes a job selling Christmas trees with his old buddy Rene (Paul Rudd) in order to make enough money to buy his estranged daughter the piano she’s always wanted.
All Is Bright opens with the release from prison of Dennis (Paul Giamatti, American Splendor, Sideways), having served time for a robbery that failed due to his partner, Rene (Paul Rudd, Anchorman, I Love You Man) abandoning him. Dennis returns home to find his wife, Therese (Amy Landecker) now in love with and planning to marry Rene, as well as a daughter who has been told he died of cancer. In spite of these setbacks, Dennis is determined to go straight and with few other options and the holidays approaching, joins Rene in his Christmas tree business.
Director Phil Morrison (Junebug) seems to be aiming at something Capra-esque with this film, but it sadly fails to hit the mark. Rather than something bittersweet and touching we have a film that tries to be quirky and off-beat but ultimately falls flat. Largely devoid of laugh out loud jokes, the dark humor does not really come through and the unfortunate situation of the protagonists elicits little sympathy.
The film stretches your belief as to some of the scenarios, primarily the ability of Dennis to work alongside a man who has stolen his life away from him. Rene himself is a somewhat witless character who displays an amazing amount of insensitivity or ignorance toward his partner’s predicament and loss. Asking for advice on what wedding ring his (still) wife would like from him for instance. It makes both characters simply unlikeable and un-relatable. I have no qualms about a film beginning an arc with such a pairing but without any real progress and change over the course of the movie it is hard to say much on a positive note about the script.
Brooklyn, NY does offer a great backdrop for the film; giving it a certain character and highlighting the economic struggles of the protagonists. But rather than exploiting such a backdrop, the film is drab and stationary, rarely venturing beyond the Christmas tree lot. Coupled with the little time afforded to the local customers it feels more like a stage production than a full scale movie production. I will add a further warning concerning the music in the film: a grating cloy jazzy Christmas soundtrack accompanies proceedings. Prepare to be annoyed.
The interactions between Giamatti and Rudd are, as expected, the highlight of the film; but sadly they’re not enough to save it. The script does not really offer them much to work with beyond cranky exchanges which Giamatti is a master at. One of the other more noticeable characters in the film and not necessarily for a good reason, is Olga, played by Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine). While the character provides a nice emotional counterpoint for Dennis, for some reason she affects a terrible Russian accent that undermines any good work done. There are several other characters, locals who stop by to pick up Christmas trees that hint at a richer world around the main duo but their lack of development only adds to further frustration.
The moral slant in the film is a interesting one; a determination to lead an honest life in the face of everything going against our protagonists. Ultimately their redemption/aims are fulfilled through again perpetrating a crime to help Dennis’ daughter. An interesting angle about the necessity of crime but again, one that is not fully explored.
Sadly, in spite of two strong performances from Giamatti and Rudd, there is little to recommend here. What seems poised as a quirky, touching, dark comedy is pretty unadventurous and offers little to draw you in. There is nothing to truly endear you to the characters or their situations. It is a feel-good Christmas redemption movie without any of the feel-good factor and just leaves you with a bitter taste in the mouth.