Let me just take you through the absolute shitshow that is Collateral Beauty. There is no simple way to describe the plot, since it is one of the most contrived, poorly thought-out ideas in cinema history.

Will Smith plays the charming, inspirational head of a New York advertising firm. This lasts about five minutes until we fast forward a few years to find Smith’s character a husk of his former self following the death of his daughter. As part of his grieving process he writes letters to the abstract concepts of time, love and death.

His depression causes concern at a board level in the company, and his colleagues (Kate Winslet, Edward Norton, Michael Peña) attempt to set up a sale. However, Smith doesn’t want to sell his shares. So, his colleagues and, I should add, best friends, hire actors to pretend like they actually got the letters he wrote.

They want to trick him into thinking he is talking to time, love and death then they hire a PI to record him talking like an insane person; all in order to force the sale of the company. The film-makers seem to think this is cute and fun but ignore the fact that it’s FUCKING MENTAL.

Frankel tries to play what is a sick, twisted plot worthy of a psychological thriller off as a romantic Christmas comedy. It’s weird, tone deaf, risible nonsense.

benoliver999.com/film/2017/04/21/collateralbeauty/

I saw the trailer and was intrigued.

[spoiler] I was expecting before watching it that it was gonna actually be *Death*, *Time* and *Love* coming to Howard, and I was a bit sad when I saw that they were just actors. But how thrilled was I towards the end, that plot twist I just couldn't have seen coming! [/spoiler]

[spoiler] I was going along with them just being actors, and then at the end, we see *Death* herself at the hospital with Madeline (as we learn at the end, she is Howards wife and the mother of his dead daughter). Revelation! And when Howard and Madeline turn around at the end, we see that Howard is the only one who sees the three. Then we have to remember what *Death* said about the rules: "*We have the power to be seen by whomever we want, whenever we want*". Madeline needed to see *Death* at the hospital that day, but she didn't need to see her again or the other two. Howard still saw them all, however at the end when the camera turns we see that they're gone. Maybe Howard doesn't need them anymore... or might it be us, the viewers, who can't see them anymore? We've gained what we can gain from watching the movie and now they're not visible to us? I might take it a bit far, but my first time watching this was just amazing! [/spoiler]

[spoiler] A little sidenote, when thinking about why the "actors" wanted to money, or didn't want it. First of all yeah, they might have done it so to play the role of the starving actors, but not just that. We can use our resources, money, to save time, to get more time - we spend money so we don't have to wait. With death I'm not 100 % sure, but my take on it is that we fear death so we spend money to avoid it. In a straight forward way by paying for vaccines, medications, psychologists. But also think back to when people would pay to get a "ticket to heaven", we are scared and think money is the solution. And then there's love, and she didn't originally want to do this, but when she hears that she can help someone, she's in it. She's only in it when it's about the love. Most people will probably say that you can buy a lot in this world, but you can't buy real love. Don't you just *love* that. [/spoiler]


I honestly am gonna watch this again in the near future with someone I care for, cause it made a huge impact on me and I'm sure it could on other people in my life as well. Will Smith, or well all of the actors, I really thought they did a great job. Recommending!

**Love. Time. Death.**

I think I underestimated this flick. Despite a wonder cast, I judged the film before watching it. I was surprised how beautiful film it was. Though not a film of the year. It was like 'A Christmas Carol', except the past, present and future were replaced with different topics. And for each topic, separate set of characters with one twist at the end. The overall film was short and sweet.

A successful businessman man who had lost his child seems not able to come out of the sorrow. His partners are worried for him, as well as the firm's future. So they come up with an idea to bring back their partner that they hire actors to help him recover. How the remaining tale turns out and the last part of the story brings an emotional ending.

There were lots of actors for just an 90 minute film. But everybody had a fair share. Nobody was greater than others. Smith had less dialogues as his role demanded that. From all, Winslet role was so ordinary, comparing her star value. Knightley was good, but her one of the dialogues about 'love' was awesome. Norton, Pena and Mirren, all were good in their respective parts.

An emotional film, but I don't think it appeals enough to everybody. As I'm being a fan of that theme, I felt it should have been a bit strong in those parts. Other than that it was a good film, a family friendly drama. It was not based on any book, though, looks like one. Surely worth a watch, especially if you love tearjerker films.

_7/10_