In my opinion, it was okay. Nothing really special, it felt like a typical festival movie.
Jennifer Lawrence is amazing again, but overall it's not a masterpiece. Some perceptible problems with editing.
What I really loved about is cinematography, every single shot could be used as a wallpaper, just fascinating.
Thanks for sharing your opinion.
How amazing was Jennifer's acting? Was she convincing at playing a somehow evil character?
It's really impressive, although there are some huge motivation problems in a 3rd act of the movie. She acts great, but her character's behavior is too unjustified. She's evil only for last 30 minutes, though.
shareOh i see, they didn't make her motivations believable, i guess they changed that from the original script i read of the movie...
I sent you a PM btw, i don't wish to spoil the movie for some readers here as i want more details so if you would please check it.
Well, I never read neither novel, nor script, so can't really tell anything, unfortunately..
Yep, I replied. If anybody else has some questions, I'm open to answer. Of course, with spoiler tags if that's needed.
HostSafe - Thanks much for posting this
HasnaWJ - Sounds consistent with what we've been hearing. Looks like they changed too much from the Kyle script and the book. Sounds promising on JL's performance though!
I am going to see it on friday...not long now...pretty much everyone knows that I will be posting my review on friday :-)!
shareHi I just wanted to know how you got to screen the movie and who were invited ? How was Bradley Cooper ? Thanks !
shareSerena was shown at the closing ceremony of Saint Petersburg International Media Forum (SPIMF). I live in St. Petersburg and was interested in the movie, so I asked for an accreditation. None of film stars were here, just the business partners, press and some other people. Bradley acted great, but Jennifer has definitely overshadowed him. Although, he's the lead in the movie, so he has more screening time.
shareThe movie overall is amazingly beautiful, all those landscapes are breathtaking, and it also has great acting, but the script or editing is so lame. Really, the closer the end of the movie, the stranger it becomes. And I also think they've overdone with sex scenes, they pop up, like, every 15 minutes for no reason :D
The movie lasts nearly 110 minutes (IMDb has it right), but it's not really intense. Conversely, it's pretty slow and plain, just like a usual festival film. There are lots of conflicts, but most of them are pretty minor and unfinished. The movie barely makes any sense, but I enjoyed it because of cinematography and JLaw. Bradley Cooper was fine, but she defintetely steals it.
And I really loved the ending. It's sad and dramatic, but fascinating at the same time.
NOW WITH SPOILERS
The movie began with a hunting scene, when George and Buchanan first discuss the panther that appeared in their land. Serena was introduced a few scenes later, by George's sister telling her story, while Serena was riding a horse. Their first conversation with George ends up with a proposal and after a short montage, they're married. It felt pretty strange, but cute :)
Serena didn't kill George, she never meant to hurt him. George was killed by the panther, which they've discussed at the beginning with Buchanan. When Serena found this out, she decided to burn herself to death, the way she was supposed to die when she was 12.
Rachel and baby are okay, they were saved by George. Serena never talked to Rachel, but she definitely hated her and her baby. There's a great scene in the movie, when Serena scratches baby's face on a photo. George loved his baby, but I don't think he felt anything to Rachel.
Well! That was pretty much the whole movie in a nutshell! Still going on friday though...haven't spoilt anything for me!
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great thanks for sharing!
shareI have seen the film, and I didn't have a big problem with the character motivations, it's just that it's not as well done (or even acted) as it could be.
I had a problem with the beginning, which plays like a bad romance.
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Peter
Thanks for posting, HostSafe. Since I had read the novel, I had no problem reading what you wrote, including the spoilers.
Up until now, I have been one of the most positive and optimistic people about Serena, based on my knowledge of the source material and the talent of Jennifer Lawrence and the rest of the cast. After seeing the trailer, my concern rose that Bier had strayed from the atmosphere of the novel (which is closer to horror than romance) and the sheer sociopathic malevolence of the character Serena. At the time, I said that if Bier screwed these things up I would hate her with the fury of a thousand suns.
Now, reading what Bier and/or Chris Kyle did to the character Serena and this story, especially the ending, I see that they gutted the character, the plot, the entire story. It's like they had Nicholas Sparks rewrite Edgar Allan Poe.
My hatred has ratcheted up to that of ten thousand suns.
I know this is 5 days late, but wanted to say that Kyle didn't make the changes to the material you are seeing described. I read his original script, it was nearly beat for beat with the book. It showed Serena saving Galloway, and the mother and her prophesying, Serena meeting Pemberton, and how she was basically plotting the entire romance from the start. Serena was cold and calculating throughout the script. The end was the same as in the book, with the back story of Pemberton's son avenging his murder at the hands of Serena by going to Brazil and murdering Serena with the blade his father killed his Grandfather with
It was all there, and very close to the book. If I were Kyle I'd sue to have my name removed from the movie, whatever they paid him it isn't worth the abuse he'll take for the shooting script of this mess.
Thanks for the feedback. I had heard that the script was quite true to the novel. I agree that Kyle should sue to have his name removed. Susanne Bier destroyed what could have been one of the best films of the year.
shareHi, where can I find a copy of this script online? Very interested in reading the original. Thanks in advance! :)
shareI'm sorry what? The ending was what?! I want to cry right now...WTF is going on, I was and still am dying to see this movie but after reading your spoilers I am dying to stop dying to see it ...I'm simply dying period!
OH GOD WHY!!!
...I wish you love ..
The reviews so mixed.
Jen just wants to *beep* Mr. Cooper. Enough said.
shareI have no interest in the movie. Does Jennifer get naked in it? If yes... To what extent?
share