I Love Jessica Chastain, But...

Jessica has shown herself to be a very talented and versatile actress over the last few years. BUT:

* Were we really supposed to believe she was 15 at the start of the film, then 16 and 17? She was 30, or nearly so, when she made the film, and looked it. I can suspend disbelief with the best of people, but no way she pulled off looking that young. That took me right out of the film from the get-go.

Later in the film, toward the end, she said something to the effect, "I am now 25, but people tell me I look younger." Uh, no, she didn't look younger than 25. She looked 25 at the minimum.

* Were we really supposed to believe that men (and women) fell in love with her as quickly as they did in the movie? She is attractive, but did not exude the kind of innocent sexuality or whatever to make me believe that people fell for her that easily. That also took me out of the movie.

Again, I think Jessica Chastain is a very talented actress who has done some great work, and will likely do even better work in the future. But she was badly miscast in this role. Someone like Amy Adams (who is actually older than Chastain) or Amanda Seyfried, and other actresses, could have pulled off the age ranges much better.