#REVIEW: “JULIET, NAKED”

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

Juliet, Naked is a heartwarming Film about life’s second chances.

Annie (Rose Byrne) has been stuck in a rapidly-sinking long-term relationship with Duncan (Chris O’Dowd), who has been overly-obsessed with obscure rocker musician, Tucker Crowe (Ethan Hawke), for years. When a demo CD arrives in the mail of Annie and Duncan’s English seaside house, the two have drastically different opinions about it. Duncan heads to his Tucker Crowe fansite to rave about it, while Annie anonymously comments on the site defiantly tearing it apart. What she doesn’t know is that her comment will lead to a life-changing encounter with Tucker Crowe himself.

The Film is based on the Novel by Nick Hornby and is adapted by Writers Evgenia Peretz, Jim Taylor and Tamara Jenkins. This writing team does a great job of keeping all of Hornby’s delicate life lessons and bringing them to the screen: not wasting any of our precious time and that self and familial love can be stronger than romantic love. Director Jesse Peretz has found a perfect pacing to let the story unfold — taking enough time dissipating Annie and Duncan’s relationship and progressing Annie and Tucker’s romance. He does all this while still leaving room to have Annie discover who she really is in the process. The Screenplay and direction leave room for the marvelous cast to give their special touch to the Characters.

Chris O’Dowd is hilarious as the obseJanboy of Tucker Crowe. He’s able to take the fangirl archetype and go all the way over the edge, however he never is unbelievable. No matter how many times Duncan screws up, O’Dowd finds a way to forgive him. Ethan Hawke is charming as the ex-musician and distant father of five. He has found a way once again to disappear into his character like magic. And Rose Byrne gives an exceptional subtle performance as the quiet yet opinionated Annie. With every frame, Byrne makes simple changes to Annie that shows her exactly how and why she is evolving. All three actors have magnetic chemistry together.

Elevation Pictures release JULIET, NAKED on Friday, August 31, 2018.