Two dubious friends struggle with morality and sacrifice in this thriller. While going through Ally’s effects, Seth and Nole discover her winning lottery ticket. Unfortunately though, her executor of her estate – Casey, is bound by rigid rules which will see it given to an abusive ex.
Cooper and Gaga share an undeniable chemistry, evidenced in their success together in “Ted”. Make sure not to miss this! It will surely make for an entertaining film!
A Million Reasons To Die
Seth MacFarlane has an unfortunate tendency to overextend himself when making movies that run too long. Most recently “A Million Ways To Die In The West.” Charlize Theron brings her usual winsome charm in her role of Anna; however. Even she can’t save this film due to too much padding and exposition.
Jeremy Thomas’ script is smart, tense and darkly funny in parts. The cast, featuring Charlie Carrick and Giacomo Baessato as friends with Camille Sullivan (Rookie Blue) as Ally who’s dying, do an incredible job acting like real friends; their banter feels genuine as they exchange diabolical plot ideas among themselves.
Two men discover Ally’s belongings and discover a lottery ticket with winning numbers that legally should go to her abusive ex-husband. At first they joke about murdering Ally. Eventually though they become serious in their intent and plan a murder plot of their own.
Plan B is to distract her while one of their friends shoots and kills her quickly with her favourite song playing in the background. In the presence of all of her best friends and before turning in their ticket within days. Unfortunately they must act quickly with no backup plan in place.
Cast
Two friends, Seth and Nole, are devastated when Ally dies unexpectedly. Yet while going through her belongings they find an unclaimed lottery ticket worth millions which has yet to be claimed by its rightful holder; legally it belongs to Ally’s abusive ex-husband but Seth and Nole are determined to keep it for themselves and devise a plan to kill her before it turns real – eventually leading them down an unexpectedly dark path that questions whether it ever justifies taking one life in order to save another
Jeremy Thomas’ script is both humorous and unnerving, and his actors did an outstanding job making it work. They struggled with some dialogue that just doesn’t sound realistic even under these conditions. And must make every effort not to allow the humor overshadow drama; there were some flaws, but overall effect was positive.
As the film unfolds, it becomes apparent that this is more than a simple tale about two men getting themselves into trouble in a small town; rather, an unscrupulous villain has brought together disillusioned young women under her control in order to indoctrinate them with her hateful ideas of white supremacy. The director’s camera work is assured and assured, never falling into overused “shaky camera syndrome.” The cast gives great performances; it’s refreshing to watch an action thriller that doesn’t try too hard; definitely worth a viewing! Charlize Theron gives a truly impressive performance as Ally Was Screaming’s protagonist. Her beauty and charm exuding an aura of power undeserved by any means. Charlize is truly formidable; A Million Reasons To Die Ally Was Screaming does her justice but doesn’t live up to its potential. A must-see Canadian film.
Director
This thriller’s director crafts an engaging movie that will have audiences discussing right and wrong, morality and semantics long after watching it. He achieves this by capturing the spirit of this dark tale of a small town community thrust into turmoil.
Bradley Cooper stars as Jackson Maine, an outlaw redneck rock ‘n’ roll singer-songwriter who has lost interest in his craft and desperately searches for ways back into the spotlight. Ally provides him with that opportunity. Her infectious charm draws him in while also playing off stereotypes prevalent within the music industry on her journey to fame.
Genre-defying movie about a masked killer who terrorises seemingly harmless suburbanites using style to soften his/her brutal acts and uncovering any perversities lurking within Anytown USA’s idyllic environs.
Seth and Nole are two dubious protagonists who, while searching through Ally’s belongings after her death. Discover an enormous winning lottery ticket worth millions. At first they must decide whether they keep it or give it to Casey – who would likely give it to her abusive ex-husband as part of her estate settlement agreement.
The film poses a moral conundrum, asking whether one can be good by engaging in criminal behavior. Emilie de Ravin is brilliant as Ally; unfortunately the script suffers due to poor dialogue and poorly-developed characters – testaments to Will Fetters’ first effort as writer which unfortunately shows.
Screenplay
Ally’s hearing loss and her family’s use of sign language add a level of drama, but for a movie about deaf people and their journey. An actual destination would have been much better served by setting this film in the countryside rather than giving us vague and nonspecific goals such as an escape to the countryside – as each setback impeded from reaching that goal made tension even tighter.
This film is a dark comedy with a profound message, featuring characters grappling with greed, resentment and egotism while striving to maintain their dignity in society. Additionally, the movie takes aim at corrupt presidential administrations, large tech companies and upbeat morning shows; Lady Gaga in particular delivers an outstanding performance which never oversteps or becomes theatrical. Her every line and nuance are perfectly realistic and captivating.
Gaga is not only known for her impressive acting. But she is also an acclaimed writer who can use script to portray character. With her flair for dialogue and chemistry between characters, she excels at keeping narrative moving while maintaining tension within it all. One powerful scene in Jackson confronting his former fiancee over their breakup is due to Gaga’s skillful writing.
A Million Reasons to Die is an entertaining thriller with some minor plot issues, yet still worth your while. The first twist – an unexpected murder in the middle of the film – was truly shocking and the rest of its tale had just enough humor and thrills to keep viewers hooked. Plus, A Million Reasons to Die stands out as an unusual horror film by using its characters’ knowledge of other horror flicks to move along its story; something pioneered by Scream and popularized in films such as Get Out.
Rating
Seth and Nole embark on an action-packed thriller which explores the ethical ramifications of doing something bad to achieve good. They discover their deceased pal Ally’s winning lottery ticket while going through her belongings, which include some of her trademark doodles. At first they fantasize, then debate and ultimately conspire against Casey (Ally’s sister) so she does not hand the prize money over to her abusive ex-husband – all with an eye toward keeping Ally’s inheritance for themselves.
Bradley Cooper stands out in Jackson Maine, an uncompromising. Hard-drinking redneck rocker whose popularity he no longer cares about. Lady Gaga makes an admirable film-star pairing, her unfussy Ally forging an unexpected connection with his hardened heart.
The film’s only flaw lies with its script. Which contains some strong lines but mostly reads like Will Fetters’ first attempt at writing something creative and engaging. Most characters come across as unpleasant people – Tyler Keats’ smirking plaid shirt-wearing douchebag standing out among them all as particularly irritating.
Gaga stands out, giving an unforgettable performance as she did when making her Broadway debut with “Funny Girl”. Her star quality cannot be denied; she exudes effortless charisma in an otherwise relatively mundane role. This underrated film deserves better recognition: although its story may be dated. The actors make this an unforgettable experience that may end up forgotten come awards season – which would be such a shame, since its talent deserves better!
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