The story attempting to be told in "Tumbledown" isn't the problem. A moody folk star with a dozen well-received songs and a cult following dies, leaving behind his wife Hannah, who has had a hard time giving up her grief. Onto the scene comes an ambitious pop culture scholar, Andrew, angling to include untold details about the dead star in a forthcoming book.
Hannah is nasty and resistant to his interrogations at first, but eventually decides to partner with Andrew to write a biography. Problems ensue, including a jealous local meathead who has been sleeping with Hannah, and the existence of Andrew's New York girlfriend.
The acting is fine. The setting, Maine in winter, is a fitting parallel to Hannah's frozen heart.
Jason Sudeikis plays a biography writer and Rebecca Hall plays his subject's grieving widow in "Tumbledown," which our critic says is annoying due to bad storytelling.
So what's the problem?
A hundred small annoyances, including storylines that peter out into inexplicable dead ends, others — the meathead's jealousy — that drone on too long, a dozen too many reaction shots from Hannah's dogs, important characters whose motivations are unclear, and a lack of romantic chemistry between Hannah (Rebecca Hall) and Andrew (Jason Sudeikis).
Starz Digital Sudeikis' character Andrew finds Hannah (Rebecca Hall) still grieving her late musician husband.
Another annoyance is the lack of context given for the dismissal of Andrew's girlfriend (Dianna Agron). My best guess as to why she is dumped is that she is blond, enjoys dancing and is from New York City where women, it is sort of implied, are not as earthy and real as brunettes from Maine.
I don't buy that, and I don't buy that Hannah has evolved at all through the plot of the movie.
There are a lot of great movies out right now. You don't need to be annoyed.
References
- ^ movie reviews (www.nydailynews.com)
- ^ jason sudeikis (www.nydailynews.com)
- ^ rebecca hall (www.nydailynews.com)
