Kodachrome

“Kodachrome”

This week we are going to dive down the streaming hole again and review a Netflix movie from 2017 Kodachrome. First off once again this is not the most warm and fuzzy movie so if you are looking for some happy feel good movie viewing go look elsewhere. However that does not mean that it doesn't have its moments of levity and joy because it certainly has those too. This is a movie about fathers and sons and how sometimes those strongest of bonds that have been severed for years can ultimately be somewhat healed. Our protagonist played very well by Jason Sudeikis in a rare dramatic role is contacted by his estranged and terminally ill famous photographer father played by the always excellent Ed Harris through his handlers to go on a road trip to St. Paul, Kansas. The mission of this trip is to get some long undeveloped Kodachrome film developed at the last place on earth that develops the film before they close for good for the fathers final photo exhibit.

This road trip is filled with ups and downs and on this trip the two are accompanied by the fathers caretaker played by Elizabeth Olsen. She is most of the time playing the role of the buffer or peace keeper. Her mission seems to be to show the son Matt played by Sudeikis that even though yes his father is a tragically flawed person who has made many horrible mistakes in his life but that doesn't mean that he doesn't and hasn't cared or love him. Along the way connections are made and at times it seems the father Ben is determined to see that others remain severed forever. I love Ed Harris I think he is one of the finest actors that this country has ever and will ever produce. He delivers completely in this role being very unlikeable when he needs to be and utterly relatable in other moments when his character needs and should be. Jason Sudeikis does a great job as well in a dramatic turn and Olsen is good but just okay. I don't feel its not her fault I think shes an excellent actor and her character was definitely necessary for the stories narrative but ultimately I feel she just fell into the usual pretty nice girl tropes and was not given enough meat on the bone to chew on.

This movie is trying to tell us and does I feel a very successful job saying what a lot of movie try and fail to do well which is…Its never to late to let those who are important to you not only how you feel but also to sometimes tell them “Hey I was wrong and I’m sorry”. Does that make it all ok? No and it shouldn't but it does allow them to pass in peace and you wont regret not at least trying. I give this movie a resounding 3,5 out of 5 Yellow Suckers.

*This movie review was originally published in The Current River Observer as the River Reels article written by Jeffrey Riggs