There’s a moment in every great drama where the air in the theater changes. The score drops to a whisper, the camera holds on a trembling lip, and suddenly, you aren’t watching a screen anymore—you’re feeling a memory. This season, three films have mastered that trick, and critics (including myself) cannot stop talking about them.
As you choose your weekend watch, remember this rule of thumb:
Two stars from me, five stars from the festival circuit. Penn has confused "misery" with "meaning." While veteran actress Joanne Reddy gives a gutting performance as a union leader who loses everything, the film is punishing to sit through. There is a difference between a drama that illuminates the human condition and one that merely tortures the audience. Requiem leans too hard into the latter. However, if you loved Manchester by the Sea and thought it was too upbeat, this is your new nightmare.
Echoes of Eden works because the brothers don't hug it out. They just agree to fix the fence. The Last Chair works because the violin strings break, and Latrell keeps playing anyway.
The Heartbeat of Humanity: Why Drama Films Are Dominating the Awards Conversation