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Archives for : Lucy Hale

Movie Review: “Which Brings Me to You”

Sometimes you can get lucky at a wedding and sometimes you can get lucky in love. For Jane (Lucy Hale) and Will (Nat Wolff), the jury is still out. The two have an immediate spark at a friend’s wedding and almost hook up in a coat closet. Instead of jumping straight to bed with each other, they decide to pump the brakes and open up about their past relationships. Recipe for disaster? Once everything is revealed, it’s certainly doesn’t come without its challenges for the potentially new couple.

“Which Brings Me to You” starts out in a cliche boy meets girl manner. And though, the film never really goes anywhere that original, Lucy Hale and Nat Wolff’s chemistry revives a tired formula.

Hale and Wolff’s onscreen presence pulls you in. It’s clear they both have something dark in their past and you’re intrigued as to why they are both still single. The two bring an authentic portrayal to their characters. Neither one is over the top unrealistic. Will is not some extra, douche bag player type, whose changing his ways for the good girl. And Jane isn’t really the “good girl”. Both are flawed in understandable ways, but they have been trying to change their ways even before they met. They are not trying to become better people for each other, they are becoming better people for themselves. This is a much-needed narrative in the romance genre.

Notice I said “romance” genre and not “romantic comedy”. That’s because this is not a comedy. It lacks humor and it’s not advertised as a comedy. But I could see how one may expect laughs given the premise and trailer clips. “Which Brings Me to You” is more of a thoughtful conversation and character study of two people who are still healing from their past scars.

The film’s biggest weak spot is failing to flesh out their protagonists and their former lovers. Certain flashbacks of their previous romances are rushed, and their exes end up feeling more like props than humans. This creates too many unanswered questions, and ultimately, that holds back the film’s full potential.

“Which Brings Me to You” won’t stand out among other romances, but it tells a sweet enough story that’s enhanced through the effortless performances by Lucy Hale and Nat Wolff.

Rating: B-

“Which Brings Me to You” opens in theaters January 19, 2024.

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Movie Review: “Blumhouse’s Truth or Dare” – A Convoluted Plot, Scattered with a Few Scares

I’ll be honest; when I first saw the trailer for this film, I was immediately intrigued. Turning a game that I have loved playing with my friends since childhood into a horror flick sounded surprisingly clever. Think about it. The actual game of truth or dare is kind of scary. You could be forced to share secrets that would ruin friendships, or do things that could ruin you. With that thought in mind, Blumhouse’s Truth or Dare had the potential to really shine. Unfortunately, the film is just a commercialized knock off of The Ring (2002) and Would You Rather (2012).

We first meet our protagonist, Olivia (Lucy Hale), while she is posting a video on social media about her Habitat for Humanity plans this spring break. But, those plans quickly change. Olivia’s best friend, Markie (Violett Beane), begs her to spend the break partying in Mexico instead of helping people in need of homes. After about five seconds of deliberation, Olivia agrees and the girls are off to Mexico with four other close friends.

Once they get to Mexico, we see a cliché montage of the group having fun, partying, and taking selfies. But of course, they couldn’t just leave it at that. Nope, the group foolishly decides to follow a stranger they met at the bar to “a fun place”. Yup, it was that easy. They are led to an abandoned church, and the mysterious new friend suggests they play truth or dare. They soon to come to find out that the game is haunted by a demon, and now they are forced to play the game forever or die.

As silly as the premise sounds, the film still manages to conjure up a few screams. The actual dares keep you on edge and can be a little gruesome at times. So in that sense the film is effective. But as a whole, the film flounders. The dialogue is cheesy, and feels more like a teen drama series. Dare I say like Pretty Little Liars? There is also way too much crammed into this movie. The few character backstories are rushed, and the journey to finding out how to the end the game is confusing.

The acting is decent; lots of controlled tear drops. There’s a ridiculous love triangle in there somewhere between Markie, her boyfriend Lucas (Tyler Posey), and Olivia. But I chose not to put much thought into that because, clearly, the writers didn’t either. I blame most of my qualms on the script. These young actors are capable of giving better performances in a more solid film.

Blumhouse’s Truth or Dare may entertain its target teen audience with its attractive cast and tense moments, but their money might be better spent if they save this one for a rental.

Rating: 2.5/5

“Blumhouse’s Truth or Dare” opens in theaters April 13.

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