Review: Louder Than Bombs

This was the film that looked to have a very profound theme when I saw the trailer. However, I saw the trailer quite a while ago and was struggling to remember I chose to watch this. Therefore, I decided to not re-watch it and then see the film itself to remind why I chose it.

Now that I have seen it, I can now see why the trailer intrigued me.

This is certainly the type of film that could get a different response from everyone as it explains an event that we can react in many different ways.
Also, the style of editing was very similar to a film that I have recently seen called Demolition. It pretty much covers the same subject matter and is edited in the same sort of way. Mixing in scenes from the present, past and having the occasional dream sequence seems to be a winning recipe and is one I can watch all the time.

However, I did not feel as captivated with this as I was with Demolition. But it remains a fascinating watch with some top performances.

I had seen very little of Isabelle Huppert. So little in fact, that I do not remember her at all. However, Huppert gave such a memorable performance and ended up being the biggest draw in my opinion. Another actor that I have seen so little of that I have pretty much forgotten is Gabriel Byrne. His performance was terrific and he gave us such an interesting and troubled character and it was great to watch him develop. Devin Druid was a great scene stealer also.
Despite being the biggest name in the film, Jesse Eisenberg was sidelined in what was a solid supportive role.

The whole thing reminded me at times of films like Demolition, as previously mentioned, Donnie Darko (which weirdly both star Jake Gyllenhaal) and American Beauty. They all have that tone which gives that slight sense of dreaminess between being awake and asleep.
That type of tone may look self-indulgent for some people, which I am fine with. I did not see that. It felt poetic, hypnotic and it won me over in the end.

Despite the positives not being strong enough or be as emotionally impactful as some other similar films, it is still a good watch. When a film about dealing with grievance works, it can be a great watch.
It had characters that I cared about and it was interesting seeing how different they all were despite being family related. All of them leading a double life was captivating viewing.

The small amount of comedy it has made me chuckle and could be important in its likability for everyone. This could be a great film to lift your spirits if you feel you are at your lowest point.

This is the type of film that I think may get under peoples skin in a good way and I hope it does.

Rating: 7/10