Two of the DVDs being released May 30 take very different looks at death.
The Shack, 2.5 stars: The film starts with a parent’s greatest nightmare. A loving father (Sam Worthington) takes his three children on a camping trip that ends with his youngest daughter being kidnapped. The loss of the child tears the family apart and makes the father question his belief in God.
He gets to ask his questions directly to God when he’s guided to a home in the woods. God appears to him in many forms including a caring older woman played by Octavia Spencer. This opens up a dialogue where the movie becomes a seminar on theology with God answering direct questions with more questions or parables.
This script, written by John Fusco and Andrew Lanham based on the book by William P. Young, is heavily faith based but it also has a lot to say to those dealing with the stages of grief after such soul-crushing losses. The film is at its best when they focus on the father because they will resonate with anyone who is a parent — no matter their faith or lack of it.
Before I Fall, 3 stars: Because this production looks at a young woman reliving the last day of her life over and over, the easy comparison is to Groundhog Day.
It’s better to look at it as being more about the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. That makes the screenplay by Maria Maggenti (based on the book of the same name by Lauren Oliver) more compelling. It’s not as easy to dismiss this as merely a teen dramedy and makes it more like a story that is emotionally strong.
The writing is solid but all of the credit for making Before I Fall work goes to Zoey Deutch. She must play a character who goes through multiple transformations during the continuing day and Deutch shows equal skill whether playing a snarky teen or a loving friend. Deutch sells both and that gives the movie depth.
Even Deutch can’t help the troubled ending. The final moments � on the surface � come across as being a happy ending but it really only generates a lot of pain and sorrow. The flaw doesn’t take anything away from the skillful performance by Deutch. She handles a complicated role with the kind of ease and talent that should make her a big star.