Should you watch this if it’s free? Yes.
Should you watch this at weekday movie ticket prices? If you like Jake Gyllenhaal or Naomi Watts.
Score: 2.5/5
Secret ending? Yes, audio only.
Running time: 100 minutes (~1.75 hours)
“Demolition” is a drama about how investment banker Davis Mitchell falls apart when his wife dies. But then he meets customer service officer Karen Moreno and her son Chris, and both affect him profoundly. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal (Davis Mitchell), Naomi Watts (Karen Moreno), Chris Cooper (Phil), Heather Lind (Julia), and Judah Lewis (Chris Moreno). It is rated NC-16.
“Demolition” is one of those metaphorical titles, so if you’re looking for a more physical, cathartic type of demolition, you’re out of luck. It’s a slow drama that relies heavily on visual metaphors to communicate its messages, although the two leading cast members deliver good performances. It’s rather forgettable, being more of a vehicle for Jake Gyllenhaal than relying on a good story to carry the film.
Highlights
Touching depiction of a widower
Davis (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a high flyer who clearly has trouble understanding his emotions, let alone dealing with loss. His sadness and confusion is touching in a warped way, showing how damaged he is in his inability to handle his wife’s death. He makes interesting insights while suffering from depression, and ultimately, it’s this sense of child-like helplessness that endears you to him.
Chris’ character arc
Chris (Judah Lewis) first appears as a foul-mouthed brat who’s clearly of a different generation. But it’s his bonding with Davis which shows us that there’s more to this irritating kid than first appears. Inside, he’s just as conflicted and incapable as the adult Davis is, with layered motivations for his character. Like with Davis, it’s his vulnerability that makes you root for him and his story arc. His character eventually develops into a more balanced expression of himself, mirroring Davis’ own path.
Letdowns
Davis is inaccessible
While his emotional responses may be touching, his standard of living places him way out of the league of most audiences. As an investment banker and also thanks to his wife’s family’s financial prowess, he’s flush with money. His home is the stuff of dreams, as Karen (Naomi Watts) comments, and the fact that he can go without employment for extended periods of time while still maintaining a significant expenditure makes him inaccessible to regular people. It’s difficult to relate to the super rich.
Karen’s critical character flaw
Midway through the film, an important piece of information shows you the possible reason for Karen’s motivation. The problem is that this revelation effectively negates her relationship not just with Davis, but with anyone else. It’s framed as a throwaway part of her background, but deeper rumination will reveal that she might not be the sympathetic love interest she appears to be.
Heavy-handed metaphors
In an attempt to add more artistry to the film, the director adds so many visuals that are almost literal in their meaning, negating the fact that they’re supposed to be metaphorical depictions of his message. Davis even calls them out as metaphors in a voiceover. It’s so clumsily executed, as if the director were afraid the audiences wouldn’t get it, that it becomes painful every time a message has to be hammered home. In fact, it literally gets hammered home in several scenes…
“Demolition” would work better if it didn’t try so hard, and ironically, be more memorable as well.
“Demolition” opens in cinemas 14 April, 2016 (Thursday).
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