Written by: Kevin Berge
Impressively, this poster showcases about 2% of what the film is actually about. (Image Courtesy of: latestly.com)
Quick Take: Puzzle treats its own subject matter with contempt at a level that feels disappointingly wasteful particularly letting down a fantastic performance from Kelly Macdonald and beautiful cinematography by Christopher Norr.
***This review will not contain direct spoilers for Puzzle but will contain reactions to how the movie ends (without going into details). If you plan to see the movie and have not yet, read ahead at your own risk.***
Some movies are fun but poorly executed. Others can be well executed but boring. While Puzzle almost fits into the second category as a bad film, it is just interesting enough to not be boring yet worse still because it is actively contemptuous. It's as if the movie hates its own subject matter.
I came in expecting a lot of Puzzle despite its somewhat bland subject manner. This is a film about a housewife Agnes (Kelly Macdonald) who finds out she might be good at solving puzzles and finds a rich inventor Robert (Irrfan Khan) who wants to work with her to compete in the national puzzle competition.
What intrigued me about this movie was the cast and the potential to add some thematic subtext to the simplistic idea of puzzle solving. Remaking the well received Argentine drama Rompecabezas, this is truly the story of a woman being marginalized, labelled by all those around her while trying to find more.
Unlike the original though, this film is directed by a man, Marc Turtletaub (Gods Behaving Badly), who seems to almost pity Agnes with the direction of the film. Despite being given significant chances to empower her, the script and perspective belittle her and make her feel utterly helpless.
There's a subtlety to the way the movie hates itself. The use of puzzle-solving leads to some great lines especially by Robert, who clearly understands why the act can be important. However, the movie never tries to showcase the puzzle process just letting the characters haphazardly succeed in a way that is never that believable.
What the movie seems to really be interested in is Agnes' relationship with her family. Her husband Louie (David Denman) sees himself as a good man but has such a simplistic view of his wife that becomes an emotional abuser, limiting her and isolating her in a way their children Ziggy (Bubba Weller) and Gabe (Austin Abrams) notice.
Some movies are fun but poorly executed. Others can be well executed but boring. While Puzzle almost fits into the second category as a bad film, it is just interesting enough to not be boring yet worse still because it is actively contemptuous. It's as if the movie hates its own subject matter.
I came in expecting a lot of Puzzle despite its somewhat bland subject manner. This is a film about a housewife Agnes (Kelly Macdonald) who finds out she might be good at solving puzzles and finds a rich inventor Robert (Irrfan Khan) who wants to work with her to compete in the national puzzle competition.
What intrigued me about this movie was the cast and the potential to add some thematic subtext to the simplistic idea of puzzle solving. Remaking the well received Argentine drama Rompecabezas, this is truly the story of a woman being marginalized, labelled by all those around her while trying to find more.
Unlike the original though, this film is directed by a man, Marc Turtletaub (Gods Behaving Badly), who seems to almost pity Agnes with the direction of the film. Despite being given significant chances to empower her, the script and perspective belittle her and make her feel utterly helpless.
There's a subtlety to the way the movie hates itself. The use of puzzle-solving leads to some great lines especially by Robert, who clearly understands why the act can be important. However, the movie never tries to showcase the puzzle process just letting the characters haphazardly succeed in a way that is never that believable.
What the movie seems to really be interested in is Agnes' relationship with her family. Her husband Louie (David Denman) sees himself as a good man but has such a simplistic view of his wife that becomes an emotional abuser, limiting her and isolating her in a way their children Ziggy (Bubba Weller) and Gabe (Austin Abrams) notice.
How can this be such a great shot yet be such a terrible showcase of puzzle-solving? (Image Courtesy of: variety.com)
Ziggy struggles to find his passion while his father pushes him to work under him, and Gabe is constantly protected by his father, who sees him as the smart successful child of the family. Louie is toxically traditional, and it makes everyone around him in the story unlikable.
While David Denman (13 Hours) does his job well enough in the film, no one here can come close to the performance of Kelly Macdonald (No Country for Old Men). In a fairly subtle performance, Macdonald portrays Agnes's frailty and quiet intelligence with a sense that she has never felt comfortable in her marginalized role.
She is basically the only reason to watch the movie though its cinematography from Christopher Norr (Sinister) is also quite breathtaking. The landscape shots and framing are way too good for this film, and this is only further showcased by the lack of that framing in the film's use of puzzle-solving.
This is a film that could have been brilliant with better direction and scripting. There's a fantastic story here to tell of the importance of supporting others and understanding how women especially as house wives can be marginalized to the point of inhumanity.
Puzzles should have been truly showcased as Agnes's escape, played up by the filmmaking in colorful visual detail. Her relationship with Robert could have been a mutually, emotionally supportive relationship of two kindred spirits. Screenwriters Oren Moverman (The Messenger) and Polly Mann miss all these opportunities.
Instead, what is presented here is a movie that lacks compassion, honesty, and purpose. Without Macdonald, it would be an honestly actively damaging experience, pitying everyone with no purpose or drive. The ending exemplifies this more than anything, saying nothing but relying on Macdonald's emotion to carry the finish.
I have rarely watched a movie that frustrated me more than Puzzle. In the moment, it is a fine experience with its best elements shining through, but once you begin to think more on what you've seen, it just becomes too hard to ever imagine enjoying the movie.
While David Denman (13 Hours) does his job well enough in the film, no one here can come close to the performance of Kelly Macdonald (No Country for Old Men). In a fairly subtle performance, Macdonald portrays Agnes's frailty and quiet intelligence with a sense that she has never felt comfortable in her marginalized role.
She is basically the only reason to watch the movie though its cinematography from Christopher Norr (Sinister) is also quite breathtaking. The landscape shots and framing are way too good for this film, and this is only further showcased by the lack of that framing in the film's use of puzzle-solving.
This is a film that could have been brilliant with better direction and scripting. There's a fantastic story here to tell of the importance of supporting others and understanding how women especially as house wives can be marginalized to the point of inhumanity.
Puzzles should have been truly showcased as Agnes's escape, played up by the filmmaking in colorful visual detail. Her relationship with Robert could have been a mutually, emotionally supportive relationship of two kindred spirits. Screenwriters Oren Moverman (The Messenger) and Polly Mann miss all these opportunities.
Instead, what is presented here is a movie that lacks compassion, honesty, and purpose. Without Macdonald, it would be an honestly actively damaging experience, pitying everyone with no purpose or drive. The ending exemplifies this more than anything, saying nothing but relying on Macdonald's emotion to carry the finish.
I have rarely watched a movie that frustrated me more than Puzzle. In the moment, it is a fine experience with its best elements shining through, but once you begin to think more on what you've seen, it just becomes too hard to ever imagine enjoying the movie.
