The Longest Week (2014)

Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

I adore Jason Bateman and when I see he's in something, I watch him. I just love his no-nonsense delivery. He never tries to be funny; he reacts to the situation at hand.He stars in "The Longest Week" from 2014, and like another reviewer here, I'm wondering why Jenny Slate is top-billed. I didn't know who she was until I looked it up.Bateman plays 40-year-old Conrad Valmont who lives, as he has always lived, in the Valmont Hotel, owned by his parents. One morning the phone wakes him up, informing him that security will be up shortly to escort him and his dog Napoleon out of the hotel. The reason: his parents are divorcing and aren't paying any of his bills any longer.He is able to get his chauffeur (Barry Primus) to care for Napoleon, but as far as caring for him, he really doesn't know where to go. He does something he never does - takes the subway. On the train he makes eye contact with a beautiful young woman (Olivia Wilde), who gives him her number. Dylan moves in on his friend and rival, a successful artist, Dylan Tate.Dylan has recently dropped his girlfriend Jocelyn and has met a fabulous woman he thinks that he's in love with. When he attends Dylan's art show, the subway woman is there, and she's the same woman with whom Dylan is in love. He promises Dylan that he will not make a play for her, but he does, and they fall in love.Beautifully photographed, this is a pleasant film, somewhat humorous, until it nears the end. I don't now if the filmmaker ran out of money, script, or what, but the film has a constant narration for a good ten minutes as scenes are being shown with no dialogue.Kind of left me flat, despite all of the good acting.Tony Roberts plays Conrad's therapist, who gives him a low-cost loan. As his chauffeur, Primus plays a man who knows Conrad better than anyone and has real affection for him. Billy Crudup, whom I saw on stage in Arcadia and who was so marvelous in Stage Beauty, is wonderful, as a friend resigned to the fact that Conrad is a woman-stealing jerk who has been in the research phase of his great novel for years. House's Olivia Wilde (that's how I know her) looks fantastic and is believable as the object of both Conrad's and Dylan's affections.This should have been better.

Romantic comedy, lightweight but fun. I found it on Netflix streaming movies.Jason Bateman is Conrad Valmont, 40-ish, and has always lived a life of luxury in the family hotel. He fashions himself as an author but when anyone asks about his current book he just says he is "gathering data." As he has been for several years. But he has it made with luxurious living quarters, an allowance, and a chauffeur. But mom and dad decide to split up and neither of them wants to carry the burden of Conrad's expenses. He basically has to leave on short notice, broke and with no place to live.So he does what anyone in his situation would do, he goes to his friend from childhood, Billy Crudup as single guy Dylan Tate, and asks if he can crash there for a while. Dylan doesn't mind but he has one request, rather a demand, that Conrad NOT go after his girlfriend.The girlfriend is Olivia Wilde as Beatrice Fairbanks. In spite of his assurances, Conrad in fact does have an eye for her. But to be fair here, she is probably even more to blame, as she makes overtures to him first, and they begin seeing each other on the sly.So that is basically it, the romantic triangle and the need for Conrad to finally grow up, learn how to make his own way through life. It is mostly entertaining but ultimately forgettable. I mainly enjoyed it for the three main actors, I like all of them.

The story about a wealthy hotel heir (Bateman) who is suddenly cut off then moves in with his best friend (Crudup) and falls for the friends girlfriend (Wilde). There are some good points a few light laughs and some nice music both jazz and classical. Woody Allen comes to mind. The narration is interesting too. Quite absorbing to see filming in Brooklyn as opposed to Manhattan. But the story isn't good enough. After getting you to feel for the romance between the two leads (Bateman and Wilde), then when things don't work out it feels like it was all for nothing. A connection between Crudup and Wilde's character isn't built up. There is no feel good ending which a light hearted comedy like this should have had. The only satisfying thing is he got his money back. There could have been a bit more depth and insight to the characters.The cast is a bit older looking than they should be for the characters. Jason Bateman doesn't quite have the rich guy thing down that convincingly. Billy Crudup is a bit haggard looking here. Olivia Wilde isn't as thin as she was before so doesn't quite fit the rail thin model look of today that her character requires. Her face is striking enough to be a model though.Overall not a must see - only if you are a fan of one of the stars.

'THE LONGEST WEEK': Three Stars (Out of Five)Romantic comedy flick starring Jason Bateman, Billy Crudup, Olivia Wilde and Jenny Slate. The cast is billed in reverse order, in the film's opening credits and marketing (for some bizarre reason), giving Slate top billing even though she's barely in it. The movie was directed and co-written (with Juan Iglesias) by first time feature filmmaker Peter Glanz. It tells the story of a spoiled 'man child', who is suddenly cut off from his parents' fortune. He moves in with his best friend and then falls in love with his girlfriend. Considering the talented cast involved, I found the movie to be pretty disappointing.Bateman plays Conrad Valmont; an unemployed writer who constantly tells people he's in the 'gathering stages' of writing a novel. He's almost 40 and is still living off his parents' wealth; having never had a real job of his own. He spends most of his time at his parents' successful Manhattan hotel; sleeping with lots of beautiful young women there. When his parents suddenly separate, they also decide to evict Conrad and cut him off from all their funding. Conrad then moves in with his best (and only) friend Dylan Tate (Crudup). Due to his obsession with pretty women, Conrad finds himself drawn to Dylan's model girlfriend, Beatrice Fairbanks (Wilde). The two begin a passionate affair together, behind Dylan's back.The movie was finished in 2012 and finally released recently, in a small amount of theaters, two years later. After seeing the film, I can see why. It's definitely a miscalculation, and that's putting it pretty nicely. The movie wants to be witty and insightful, but it fails. It often borrows a lot from filmmakers like Wes Anderson and Woody Allen, as well, to no avail. I always enjoy watching Jason Bateman, and he's still pretty amusing here; but ultimately he's wasted. So is all of the rest of the talented cast. The movie has some good ideas, it keeps trying to work out, but it's never very funny or involving. Glanz definitely still has a lot to learn about filmmaking.Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5es95jIdgR4