Jam packed with nearly every cliché in the genre, “The Hollars” fails to distinguish itself from its peers. Instead, the film becomes muddled and lost in its excessive narratives with no focus or central theme. The film ultimately serves as a cinematic tease, showing characteristics of a great film, but not successfully combining them.
Though the narrative is unsuccessful, the cast serves as its only redemption. The star of this film is Margo Martindale in her performance as Sally Hollar. Her honest and realistic performance of a terminally ailing mother makes any scene she appeared in stand out. However, despite her strong performance, she was underutilized in the dysfunctional narrative.
Another surprisingly compelling performance came from Charlie Day as Jason. Though the character is largely written off as a jealous villain opposite John Hollar (John Krasinski), Day’s performance brought depth to a one-dimensional character. While largely comedic, Day’s performance brought pity and understanding to this rom-com villain.
Though the cast was filled with talented actors, many seemed to be there simply for publicity. Anna Kendrick’s performance as Rebecca, John’s girlfriend, was largely one dimensional and underdeveloped. Rather than utilizing Kendrick’s acting prowess, the film relegates her into a stereotypical female character. Similarly, Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s performance as Gwen, one of John’s old flames, could be thrown out with little impact. Winstead, who has been praised for recent performances in “10 Cloverfield Lane” and “Mercy Street,” received little screen time and only a few lines of dialogue.
Rather than focusing on the talented women in the film, “The Hollars” chooses to focus the narrative on lackluster male leads. Krasinski’s performance as John brought little depth to the most central character in the film. Meanwhile, Sharlto Copley’s portrayal of Ron Hollar, an underachiever, felt flat and stale. Rounding out the trio is Richard Jenkin’s performance as the Hollar patriarch, Don. With an extremely stereotypical portrayal, Jenkins brings nothing interesting or compelling to the role.
Though these performances were not stellar, the ultimate downfall of “The Hollars” lies in its writing and direction of narratives. The film jumps from story to story, hoping to incite emotions in the audience, but in this constant reframing, any true impact or message is lost.
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