Memorable, crazy movie

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Crappy film

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

The Conway Family goes beyond the definition of tragedy. This dark comedy is ridiculous at best because of the story-line-there are just too many unfortunate accidents occurring on the block where the family lives.We have an old lady running around after the bowling ball incident that you would swear resembles the late Ruth Gordon.With it all, there is still a remarkable performance by Geena Davis as the embittered frustrated mother. The car accident that killed her daughter and left her son in a vegetative state affected the two surviving sons and led to the dissolution of her marriage.The beginning with the neighbor burning to death on the grill and the surviving son's friend whose father is killed when the boy and the survivor toss a bowling ball and the father swerves in his car to avoid a direct hit.A direct hit was needed in the writing of this mess.

Just saw this "dysfunctional family because of tragedy" movie on cable. Thought I'd give it a try even though it just had a 2.5 star rating and was labeled a comedy (?!). Turned out someone made a boo-boo on both. I was blown away by the story, the directing, the acting, the cinematography... All I can think of is the fact that the movie is "Australian" might have held it back. There was nothing else that could have done so. Definitely worthy of an Oscar nomination for picture, acting and directing. One expects Geena Davis to give a fine performance, but all the young actors surrounding her made her job so much easier. I was crying along with them. The only thing I didn't like was the ending. Leaves you hanging. But, that's life.

This movie hooks you in with the promise of quirky indie cinema and lovable characters, but what you're left with is a pointless, sappy crap.Awful acting. Awful script. Geena Davis is a saving grace in the film, with barely anything but hokey phrasings and maudlin tone shifts to work with.The images and music were fantastic, but in between beautiful shots and gorgeous sounds there is nothing but exposition in dialogue, crappy narration at points, and seemingly mindless character motivations.This is the product of a confused script. It takes from the writer's own childhood, so I can get how it's probably catered towards some sort of reality in the past. But there is no embellishment that makes it into a good story, simply coincidence and misfortune, most of which happens because of the actions of the characters - who contrary to what the movie states, are largely responsible. I mean, the kid throws a bowling ball down the street in the middle of the night and has the balls to say "It wasn't anyone's fault" when a car gets run off the road. Misguided adolescence, maybe. Good filmmaking and relatable themes? Not a chance.I will concede that the climax of the film, where Davis finally visits her son, is very well done, and probably renders any audience speechless. But this does not save the film, nor does it seem to change where this trainwreck was heading.I could complain more about the content of this illogical sap-fest, but I urge those of you looking for a quirky indie experience to look elsewhere. There are many better indie films that need supporting.

Accidents Happen – Sydney Film Festival, June 2009 I was sold on this film by a description of Geena Davis who "shines as the screwball mother". The SFF program seemed to promise a screwball family comedy, with Davis' fearlessness in performance carrying the required bravado. So I was surprised when the opening sequence, a slow-motion shot of a playing child interrupted by an elderly neighbour accidentally barbecuing himself, suggested another tone was in the offing: a coming-of-age black comedy. That combination works well here.To labour the labeling a little, ladling on a portmanteau, ACCIDENTS HAPPEN is a 'dramedy'. It's a realistic story of an early 80s suburban family unit fractured by an auto accident. The emotional weight of their tragedy squeezes absurdity out of the cracks in their stasis. Gloria Conway (Davis) turns her rapid-fire wit to lashing her 'useless' ex-husband but that is clearly a losing game for her as she is not much more on top of her grief for their lost children than he is.The relationship between surviving but bereft younger son Billy and his ballsy mother is the meat of the film. They present a remarkably compelling take on an interdependent relationship. They made me really care that they would work it out, and a refreshing change from the common film stereotype of merely alienated teens.The film overall is a showcase of great characterization through screen writing and performances, not just from the poised teen-aged leads but also minor characters like the barbecue-induced widow Mrs Smolensky. She steps startlingly out of being a background character in the payoff scene at the film's end.That final sequence also left me backpedaling on conclusions I leapt to earlier about the film's symbolism. Up until that point, the crucial role of a bowling ball in the plot lent itself to symbolism of emotional baggage, a crushing burden to carry and destructively out of control when neglected. That ball's ultimate destination revealed over the end-credits indicates the authors either didn't have that in mind, or were pointing us to some other significance entirely. Comments here suggesting what that significance might be are very welcome.Originally posted at http://moviebookchats.posterous.com/movie-review-accidents-happen