Image Credit: Laurie SparhamYou’d think that given my long years on the job, I’d have ready replies. But coming up with the right answers never gets any easier: When friends, or family, or neighbors with whom I’ve shared an apartment elevator for ages, or interested strangers I meet at holiday parties, or even my dentist of 25 years asks me, “What should I see at the movies these days?” I’m always momentarily stumped. I mean, I know which movies I think are good — and which movies I think are not. And I can supply a (brilliant!) critical analysis to back my opinions. But that’s not what is being asked. Not really.
“What should I see?” my old college pal, or my sister-in-law, or my neighbor on the 10th floor asks me, and I have to remember: The college friend doesn’t like movies with any disturbing content, so there goes Black Swan. My sister-in-law has little interest in animation, so there goes The Illusionist. And I have no idea whether the 10th-floor neighbor will be as engrossed as I was in a movie about a guy who cuts his own arm off to save his life — even if that guy is James Franco and the movie is as good as 127 Hours. There are plenty of movies I think are great that I know friend A or B won’t like, and I don’t think it’s my place to convince them otherwise. And there are plenty of movies I think stink that I know friend X or Y will enjoy, and I don’t want to rain on their Little Fockers parade. (I take that back: I’ll steer loved ones and strangers alike away from those Fockers, secure in the knowledge that box office revenues suggest no one gives a Focker about critical opinion.)
The result: When faced with a request for my off-duty opinion (which is to say, a market recommendation), I shift pleasantly and agreeably to the role of consumer advocate. If you like ______ (Jeff Bridges? ’80s videogame nostalgia? Katherine Heigl?), you’ll like _______. And if you don’t like _________ (war movies? chick flicks? Katherine Heigl?), then you won’t like _______. And at the party, in the elevator, or in the dentist’s chair, I become more of a guide than a critic. Someone asks, “How’s Black Swan?” and I answer, “Delirious. Voluptuous. Mad and grand and I liked it but…how do you feel about crazy ballet movies? Because this one is nuts.” Someone else asks, “How is Made in Dagenham?” and I reply, “It’s a perky British retro labor story, starring perky Sally Hawkins, very cute and uplifting.” What I don’t say is “It made my teeth hurt.”
As for the splendid fellows pictured above, Geoffrey Rush and Colin Firth, I know exactly what to say when someone asks, “What about The King’s Speech?” The answer is “You’ll love it.” I don’t need to qualify that you can’t help but love it, because the movie is squarely (and I do mean squarely) built to be loved, and admired, and festooned with prizes. I don’t need to add that it’s a big, square, safe, royal chariot of award-type movies. There’s no need, at least not in the elevator. And certainly not in the dentist’s chair. Go, enjoy, you’ll love it.
Anyhow, I don’t think I’m alone — am I? Do you, too, fit your movie recommendations to the occasion? Or are you a philosopher of the it-sucks/it’s-great school so eloquently analyzed by astute critic Jerry Seinfeld?
Thanks for sharing this with us Lisa! I tend to be the “movie buff” amongst my friends and I go through a similar thought process when they ask me what we should rent or go see. Although I’m not a movie critic by any means lol.
Me too. It always hurts a little to have to dismiss a great movie because the person won’t like it. But it does make it a little fun to try and match movies with people.
Didn’t she write this same article last year?
I think you’re right. I swear I remember reading this same article last year around this time
I definitely thought she wrote this before also, but then, I don’t know why the whole Movie Critics blog disappeared.
Try working in a video store when you have thousands of people ask you every week which movie they will like…and you don’t even know them or their personality.
That would be a trying experience. I applaud anyone that can do it without pulling all of their own hair out.
Personally, I tend to only tailor a suggestion if I know the person pretty well. Otherwise, I’ll just say, something like XYZ was reviewed pretty well/badly. If someone asks about a specific film, I’ll just point to the plot/atmosphere (i.e. If you like a spy thriller with big stars and no thrills, look no further than The Tourist.)
I spent quite a bit of time at the holiday party trying to figure out how to tell people how much I loved Black Swan but that I think they should stay far away. Nice post!
I share your sentiments. Well stated. Some years ago, I essentially ceased giving movie recommendations, for the reasons you explain, to general friends and colleagues. I grew tired of such responses as, “I cannot believe you liked that film!” I now share my reviews with a very small group of friends that I have learned, over the years, share my view of movies. Much easier, less frustrating.
I absolutely tailor my film recommendations to the tastes of the person asking. I still sometimes get burned, like the time I recommended “Pan’s Labyrinth” to an acquaitance who didn’t like it because there was too little emphasis on the fantastical elements and too much Spanish Civil War – oh well, can’t win ‘em all, I guess.
It all depends on the person. I tend to observe friends’ movie patterns and go from there. But some people like things that throw you by surprise. A friend of mine loves all Disney and Pixar movies, but surprisingly loves Natural Born Killers. Still scratching my head on that one…
Lisa, you’re out of touch. The King’s Speech was a good film, but I certainly didn’t love it. Black Swan was amazing and certainly worth a public viewing regardless of one’s tastes. I’m surprised your friends are still asking you for your recommendations as opposed to just asking you why this holiday season has been so WEAK for movies.
you’re dumb Zach. You are probably little Zach Morris from that terrible high school show. Bad holiday season for movies??? We have had True Grit, Black Swan, King’s Speech, The Fighter. And for the less intellectually adept, we had tron, unstoppable, and harry potter. last year was WAY MORE WEAK BROOOOO
I’m offended that you had Harry potter in the same sentence as Tron and Unstoppable.
Zach, I am leaving you for AC Slater. Sorry.
terrible high school show? who didn’t like Saved by The Bell?
laxin – didn’t you watch the Seinfeld video? SbTB sucked, but it was great. But it sucked. And it was great.
It’s all very simple, really. You ask Lisa what she personally liked and then avoid that movie at all costs and see something else.
You’d avoid The King’s Speech just because Lisa liked it? Wow, you’re holding a real grudge.
127 Hours was a great movie. Love James Franco!!
I recommended The Voyage of the Dawn Treader to my boss, who has three daughters ages 19, 17, & 14. Ben Barnes is top-notch eye candy! And they’re rather conservative people, so they’ll enjoy its message.
Do you actually say something like “It’s a perky British retro labor story, starring perky Sally Hawkins, very cute and uplifting.”? You talk like a movie critic writes. I’m sure that’s not annoying to your friends at all.
I pick my dad’s queue for him on Netflix since he does not have a computer. i always gear my picks toward what he would like. He’s more into action, militairy, and westerns so I’m not putting a romantic comedy on his list anytime soon. He doesn’t want to think too much either. I recommended Inception to him and he turned it off after 15 minutes.
I, too, always have a hard time picking out movies for my wife and myself to watch. I’m much more open minded so it’s hard to figure out what we both would like. I can’t get anything too gory for her or anything too “weird”.
Your wife and father should stick with network television fare. It’s made for them.
I loved The Kings Speech. It really was that terrific.
Yeah, sorry. It’s a “big, square, safe” awards movie because it’s a vehicle to showcase some amazing acting by Colin Firth.
I tailor my answers to whoever is asking too. Sometimes, though, I omit a little bit of knowledge I might have if it will keep them from seeing a great movie. For instance, my Mother and I went to see Black Swan last weekend and I knew that a certain scene would keep her from watching it. She ended up loving it. I also have to bite my tounge whenever someone in my office is talking about how great the latest Robin Williams/John Travolta movie is.
I remember this article last year- just with different movie titles.