On Wednesday night during winter break, I went with my sister to see Collateral Beauty (why, yes, that was my third movie of the day!). This movie has been much maligned by critics but both Marilyn and I enjoyed it. Howard Inlet (Will Smith) is a New York ad executive who credits three abstractions for his success: love, because everyone needs it; time, because everyone wants more of it; and death, because everyone fears it. After the tragic death of his young daughter, he retreats from the world and begins writing letters to these abstractions. His colleagues Whit Yardsham (Edward Norton), Claire Wilson (Kate Winslet), and Simon Scott (Michael Pena), worried that his behavior is costing them clients, hire three unemployed actors to personify these abstractions. Aimee (Keira Knightley), Raffi (Jacob Latimore), and Brigitte (Helen Mirren) portray Love, Time, and Death, respectively, and not only bring peace to Howard, but help Whit, who is struggling with his relationship with his estranged daughter; Claire, who laments the fact that she has spent all of her time focused on her career rather than starting a family; and Simon, who is battling terminal cancer. One of the reasons I loved Manchester by the Sea, which also deals with the loss of a child, is that the grief is not magically abated at the end of the movie for a happy ending as it is in Collateral Beauty. However, while the final scenes are contrived, they are also quite affecting and they did bring tears to my eyes (Marilyn was a blubbering mess). I really enjoyed all of the performances, especially Mirren who was incredibly funny. I recommend that you see Collateral Beauty for a feel-good movie to lift your spirits (but see Manchester by the Sea for a gritty and honest portrayal of grief).
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