8.3/10 (Highly Recommend)

I truthfully thought this movie would be boring, but from the moment I hit play to the moment the credits started rolling I had tears in my eyes. Tears of joy. Tears of love. Tears of despair and sadness. This film ran me through the emotions because it reminded me of why movies are created. They're created to draw us in, to give us an escape, speak to us on a deeper level, and entertain. This movie did all that for me.

The acting isn't top notch, but I do like the actors selected for the film and they each bring raw feelings throughout that help the build-up. Seth Rogen definitely threw me off, but he has shown here that he can do more than raunchy comedies and be good at them too. Michelle Williams gives a terrific performance. Gabriel LaBelle is confident in his role and makes the feeling of being a moviemaker something to strive for. The body language at times speaks volumes and is done in such a way that it sparks the emotional needs perfectly. Though in general the film could've been slightly more emotional.

The music and the visuals drew me in the most. John Williams will always be an extraordinaire when it comes to composing masterpieces and it's no different here. When word aren't being used his music attracts the emotions needed to tell the story. The cinematography for both the film in general, and especially the in-film films, are both so clean and grasp the moments other movies fail to at times.

Overall, this film shows why movies are made. It brings the emotions and the spirit of the inner child to light while grasping a range of emotions with its visuals and sound. Despite the two and a half hour run time. I didn't feel a wasted moment.

That's all for now. Thank you for taking the time to read my review. Until next time.... Enjoy the show!