Stillwater (2021)

[Eric Prime]

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[FilmFincher]

I thought this was quite good overall. 

 

The performances are fantastic across the board and I think the film has a lot more going under the surface than people are giving it credit for. It's self aware about the nature of Damon's character Bill and addresses it directly in a way that worked for me. It's a much quieter film than the trailers would have you think and largely focuses on these tender relationships Bill forms and the inherit flaws of his character. 

 

The set-up is incredible stuff, wonderful filmmaking and establishing of the world/characters. The relationship between Bill and Maya is absolutely heartwarming and wonderful to watch. 

 

The biggest problem is when the film threatens to derail itself (and nearly does) in the back half when in decides to become Prisoners for 20 mins. It was a situation/point that could have been encapsulated to one scene and had the same emotional/narrative outcome but it feels too big, overcooked and overlong when the film had done such a good job underplaying everything up until that point.

 

It manages to swing itself back around to stick the landing and make it's point.

 

7.5/10