The Quitter (2014)

As Good As It Gets

The first must-see film of the year.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

I caught this last night on PBS around 30 minutes after it started, right around when Jonathan came to pick up Luka, and Georgia gave him a 3 try, 3 strikes you're out tryout. And I figured out the rest. At first it looks like a reality tv show format. And it works in this case. All the actors, especially the Luka did well. The cinematography, editing, music all work well. Solid story and worth checking out. After watching a bunch of garbage Hollywood, high budget nonsense, unoriginal unrealistic stories with plot holes and characters acting like they would only act in Hollywood movies, this movie is a breath of fresh air. It's drama. It's not my favorite genre. I like horror, thriller. I wish the people in this production lots of success. They deserve it. Rating is a B, B+, 7 or 8. 10 for balance.

I tuned in when The Quitter was half over, but no matter... I got the picture soon enough, and was instantly captivated by the sincerity of its characters and of the whole production.The simple story line does not take away from portraying the complexity of making one's life choices, day by day.Destiny was such a natural actress, and her 8 yr old Luka totally charmed me. Absent was any woodenness, or glancing (inappropriately) in odd directions. And there were strong performances by the minor characters as well as the leads.I loved the ending, too. This film needs to be seen and enjoyed for what it is: a bittersweet slice of life that combines hope with a realistic possible outcome that doesn't necessarily wrap it up with a bow.

I saw The Quitter last night on PBS. Matthew & Julianna Bonifacio wore almost all the hats in realizing this 2014 indie (including playing the lead characters, Jonathan and Georgie). Jonathan was a major league baseball player who walked away from his career and from Georgie and their baby girl. When Jonathan and Georgie meet again back in New York 7 years later they try to stitch together some kind of relationship mainly for the sake and the love of their now 8-year old Luka. Like many an actor with Mediterranean in his marrow (Pacino is an obvious example) Matthew acts with his fried-egg eyes and nails you every time with those big, unblinking gapers.I wish that Matthew, who also wrote the movie, had helped us better understand Jonathan's costly self-doubt. We know it has a lot to with an unforgivably insensitive,angry father but...we need to see more. Nevertheless, Matthew's essential insight about Jonathan and Georgie is bang on: for them what matters is that the modus vivendi they've put together holds: painfully,imperfectly but holding.