Comet (2014) [review]
Comet (2014) [review]
Just watch it
Quick Review
Great film.
It’s an adventure you’re probably not going to understand outright. Doesn’t mean you’re a dent head. The story is as simple or as complex at you want it to be, depends on how you interpret the ending. Just think.
This movie is a mashup of scenes, extracted and intertwined, from a 6 year on-and-off relationship between a pair of actors with incredible chemistry. Or so it seems on the surface. Unfortunately there are too few intellectuals left in the world who can make sense of anything beyond a Michael Bay script. Hence the mostly negative reviews.
Don’t expect much sci-fi in terms of grandeur. This is an out of place romance movie with some strangeness thrown in. It’s a movie from which you can take away as little, or as much, as you want from. Viewers need to pay attention throughout, acknowledging the words used and subtle nuances with settings. That’s the sci-fi element. ignoring these results in a generic, disjointed chick flick.
‘Comet’ is one of my favourite movies. It’s been released for 8 years. I saw it once, around 5 years ago. I have not seen it since. I never want to see it again.
Overview
Genre(s): Romance, Sci-Fi
Location(s): Mostly Los Angeles (USA), Paris (France)
Writer(s): Sam Esmail
Director(s): Sam Esmail
Main Actor(s):
‘Justin Long’ as ‘Dell’
‘Emmy Rossum’ as ‘Kimberly’
Official Synopsis:
“Justin Long and Emmy Rossum are star-crossed lovers whose relationship blooms and unravels over the course of six years in this mysterious, dazzlingly original romance. When a chance encounter brings together the cynical Dell (Long) and the quick-witted Kimberly (Rossum), the stage is set for a tempestuous lover affair that unfolds like a puzzle. As the film zigzags back and forth in time - from a meteor shower in LA, to an encounter in a Paris hotel room, to a fateful phone call - an unforgettable portrait of a relationship emerges. Sumptuously shot and boasting incredible chemistry between the leads. COMET is a one-of-a-kind cosmic love story.”
Box Art:
In More Detail (no major spoilers)
No major spoilers here, but film structure and plot is analysed in detail. If in doubt, just watch the film.
It’s stated above that I’ve only seen this movie once and never want to watch it again, but it’s a great movie. That deserves an explanation.
There are movies which lose their meaning, their magic, the more you watch them. They become mundane. Sort of like ‘Titanic’ (1997). The first time it’s a spectacle, however subsequent views have you noticing CG anomalies or thinking about plot holes. The more you watch, the worse it gets. Action movies are designed to have certain levels of replay value, hence the awful dialog and comical one-liners.
Meaningful moments in life are the ones which don’t repeat. Things that mean something to you which can’t be conveyed; the first time you did <something>, the first time you saw <something>, the first time you met <someone>. That’s what ‘Comet’ is to me. I don’t want to watch it again because I’m content with the perfect memory.
This isn’t the trash horror I normally gravitate towards, but I’m happy to watch anything that looks good. Justin Long is an awesome actor and its him what enticed me to watch. That and the sci-fi element which… I can’t say much about, other than it may have a different outcome for you. Well that’s the most pretentious thought I’ve ever had.
I don’t want to regurgitate the story for this type of movie, as it’s something viewers should digest as the director intended. there are plenty of inept spoilers out there. Needless to say, ‘Comet’ is a romantic movie above all.
There aren’t aliens, sea monsters, bank heists or exploding mountains. Rather than watching in hopes of something laughable to make a whiny YouTube video about, you must pay attention and absorb each scene as to make sense of the ending.
We’re following the lives of an odd couple who clearly are meant for each but shouldn’t be together. An accidental meeting between them in their mid-20’s, triggers a series of emotional entanglements (sex not inferred) over a 6 year span.
The film jumps around different time periods, of a sort, so you need to mentally keep up. Their relationship has many ups as downs, baffling the most optimistic of people as to who there could be a happy ending. Will their 6 year chaotic relationship blossom in to something wonderful or fizzle out in heartbreak?
Through ‘Comet’ you will experience everything a dozen times over; happiness, misery, heartbreak, depression, anxiety, love, hate, betrayal, remorse, longing, pain. Dramatic movies written and directed by the same person, as with this, I’ve generally found tough to get through.
The creator’s vision may be one dimensional, based on a experience you can’t relate to. Maybe it’s the same here and this is a movie which I, with very few others, can connect with from my life experiences? Or perhaps I’m more open to watching different types of movie than the same repackaged, regurgitated consumer focused drivel?
While an enjoyable movie, it’s the final balcony scene which has caused the most controversy. You’ll have to figure it out yourself. Or peruse some forums afterwards and confuse yourself even more. Don’t look up anything before watching. It will spoil the movie.
Not much of a review, but I don’t want to spoil anything. ‘Comet’ an emotionally driven movie and explaining each scene will strip the movie of its vehemence. These reviews aren’t intended as recaps for movies people have already seen,. They’re to encourage people out of their comfort zones, to watch something they’ve never seen, would never see or has bad reviews. If I were to cover something as harmless as the train scene, it wouldn’t have the same effect when viewed for the first time.
There is something I want to vent over before wrapping up. Diarrhetic skid marks on society like this…
…a peon of limited intelligence, lacking the mental prowess to solve a puzzle which doesn’t exist. If you perceive every non-linear story as an art house project, that’s a you problem. You’ll never achieve anything in life with such narrow-mindedness. Sorry to dump on your chest, but every film is a piece of ‘art’. Whether you like it or not, good or bad. Was ‘Memento’ (2000) immediately dismissed as trash because scenes took place out of sequence?
‘Comet’ does have a less conventional art style at times. I remember scenes where the couple are framed to side of a screen, with the remaining two thirds empty. Normally considered a movie school faux pas! Single colour lighting occasionally swamps entire scenes for emotional effect (I think). It’s all well shot and not distracting in the slightest. So is that a bad thing? Why does every movie need to have identical camera angles and framing? Get out of your safe spaces and experience something different.
Not content with whining about the movie being ‘art’, I’ve come across numerous reviewers with the audacity to call out Emmy Rossum as not beautiful enough for a leading actress role. Get fucked.
Whatever flack Emmy got for the role is grotesquely undeserved. Because she’s not a 6 foot, anorexic, coke addicted, tits-out whore then she’s not leading lady material? Hair down, in a nerdy ponytail, cut short or all over the place. There is no scene where she looked less than stunning.
Perhaps the character could have been more fleshed? That’s not a mark against Emmy’s looks or acting talent. It’s the script. She did the best with what was given to her and it was a damn good job. Then again, I’m not a porn addicted incel. Which is an uncomfortably large section of movie goers these days.
Justin Long did not disappoint either. He put on a great performance throughout.
Maybe you hate this movie because it’s an ‘art’ project and not a 1 dimensional 80’s action flick. Maybe you hate it because the ending isn’t explained in crayon for infants. Maybe you hate it because the lead characters weren’t meth-heads, banging each other and their friends in modern depraved Hollywank brainwashing fashion. Maybe there’s something wrong with you.
If you enjoy great storytelling, talented acting, unraveling puzzles and experiencing life, than ignore the bad press. Watch this movie.
Even if you detest everything in life, as I do, you may find yourself enjoying ‘Comet’ more than you would like to admit.
Don’t Read This Section!
I’m not covering the entire movie and taking away potential earnings. This is an area for parts of the review which may ruin the viewing experience, not for disclosing every plot point. From here I’m assuming everyone has seen the film.
What is this Movie?
Parallel universe? A dream? Just a story told out of sequence? Combination of everything? Does it matter?
I honestly don’t care. It was a good movie. That’s what matters.
