I love GIGANTIC, it's a dramedy that will win your heart. From the acting to the story, from the cast to every line that that they say, it's smartass yet funny, it's blunt yet gentle, this is Indie movie at its best. Writer/Director Matt Aselton has
come up with unique, memorable characters though as weird and messed up as they are, you wouldn't mind being part of the family.
The writing is what fascinates me about this movie. Matt Aselton and fellow scribe Adam Nagata have a great sense of humor, the comedy injected into this drama hits every target dead on. If you're not laughing at some of the scenes, then there's definitely something wrong with you, I'm just going to throw it out there. It's got some random acts that happen for no reason and they just crack me up That said, GIGANTIC also has rich characters that stem from America's individuality and the freedom to choose whatever it is that you want to be and that in itself can bring so much pressure on one person. It is a love story but it's not too lovy dubby that you'll hate it, and it's not trying too hard to be your average chick flick either because the complication, anxiety, and fear that ensues when the two main characters start to have feeling for each other are the kinds that we can relate to, the kinds that we, the audience, had experienced before at one point or another. I believe in greatness in simplicity and GIGANTIC is exactly that.
Paul Dano who floored me in Little Miss Sunshine, I also thought he should've been nominated for There Will Be Blood, plays the character Brian in GIGANTIC and Paul proves to us again that he's a young but powerful force to be reckon with. There's a certain calmness to his performance but he can also deliver a certain commanding stubbornness and he does it just as good as any experienced actor out there which makes him capable of sharing screen time with veterans like John Goodman and Ed Asner and not drowning in their shadows. The cute Zooey who somehow has the ability to put your guard down when you're at her presence, plays the quirky Happy who's not sure what she wants to do with her life, causing her to be unsure either about letting Paul Dano be a part of her life. What a fantastic cast. John Godman and the legendary Ed Asner both play supportive fathers but each of them had a their own way of showing it. The great Jane Alexander has one particular excellent scene with Zooey, a self-realization scene that basically touches the whole point of the story, it was brief but surprisingly heartfelt. By the way, there's a special appearance by a Chinese baby that will absolutely get even the manliest guys to say 'Aww!'
This is not a movie about dysfunctional family but the family's not perfect either. I think it's a feel good movie aimed to let the audience know that you can still pursuit your plans and fall in love at the same time. Letting someone in doesn't mean you have to disregard those who already care about you and it's never too late to make thing right. GIGANTIC may be Matt Aselton's first feature film but it's good enough to make me a fan and I'm looking forward to his upcoming projects.
--Rama's SCREEN--
The writing is what fascinates me about this movie. Matt Aselton and fellow scribe Adam Nagata have a great sense of humor, the comedy injected into this drama hits every target dead on. If you're not laughing at some of the scenes, then there's definitely something wrong with you, I'm just going to throw it out there. It's got some random acts that happen for no reason and they just crack me up That said, GIGANTIC also has rich characters that stem from America's individuality and the freedom to choose whatever it is that you want to be and that in itself can bring so much pressure on one person. It is a love story but it's not too lovy dubby that you'll hate it, and it's not trying too hard to be your average chick flick either because the complication, anxiety, and fear that ensues when the two main characters start to have feeling for each other are the kinds that we can relate to, the kinds that we, the audience, had experienced before at one point or another. I believe in greatness in simplicity and GIGANTIC is exactly that.
Paul Dano who floored me in Little Miss Sunshine, I also thought he should've been nominated for There Will Be Blood, plays the character Brian in GIGANTIC and Paul proves to us again that he's a young but powerful force to be reckon with. There's a certain calmness to his performance but he can also deliver a certain commanding stubbornness and he does it just as good as any experienced actor out there which makes him capable of sharing screen time with veterans like John Goodman and Ed Asner and not drowning in their shadows. The cute Zooey who somehow has the ability to put your guard down when you're at her presence, plays the quirky Happy who's not sure what she wants to do with her life, causing her to be unsure either about letting Paul Dano be a part of her life. What a fantastic cast. John Godman and the legendary Ed Asner both play supportive fathers but each of them had a their own way of showing it. The great Jane Alexander has one particular excellent scene with Zooey, a self-realization scene that basically touches the whole point of the story, it was brief but surprisingly heartfelt. By the way, there's a special appearance by a Chinese baby that will absolutely get even the manliest guys to say 'Aww!'
This is not a movie about dysfunctional family but the family's not perfect either. I think it's a feel good movie aimed to let the audience know that you can still pursuit your plans and fall in love at the same time. Letting someone in doesn't mean you have to disregard those who already care about you and it's never too late to make thing right. GIGANTIC may be Matt Aselton's first feature film but it's good enough to make me a fan and I'm looking forward to his upcoming projects.
--Rama's SCREEN--