I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Highly Overrated But Still Good

I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

Drake Doremus can film the very essence of love like no one else - he did it in Like Crazy and he did it here again. For me personally this movie is a way to remember how love is felt when it comes. Love in this movie is felt through natural directing and operator work, beautiful music, nice cast and simple but emotional story. Felicity Jones contributes to the whole impression greatly by her lyrical and mysterious character which is very attractive. Guy Pearce does a solid job too performing a character which can be argued a lot but one can find a true human emotion in it. And this movie is not even about having a good cast, script or camera work... it's about making you feel the same feelings that there are on the screen. One who experienced it in his life will catch it here. This is the true magic cinematography and art in general can give and Drake Doremus is a person who makes it feel real from the screen. Astounding.

This is the story of a suburban family that takes in a foreign exchange student from the UK and how their worlds got turned upside-down in that time. The fact is, their worlds were already crashing in around them, but no one was willing to notice anything beyond the board game playing, family picture taking facade they put on. The teenage daughter had already had sex with a guy she had a crush on but wouldn't commit to her because he was too busy blabbing their business to everyone. The father was living a mundane life teaching instead of playing music. The mother seemed oblivious to any of the feelings the other two are having. The exchange student arrives, catches the eye of the daughter's crush, as well as her own father's. As the plot unfolds, I was able to predict all of the major happenings that occurred. The daughter's self- destructive, self- absorbed, alcohol induced over emotion led her to a serious car crash when she ends up losing it. The crush tries to hook up with the exchange student, and when she refuses, he smears her name across the school. And the wife smashes her cookie jar collection when she finally realizes what's going on under her nose between her husband and this 18 year old girl. I found it quite contradicting that the husband finally gets the chair he wanted and the job he has been dreaming of, and is willing to throw it all away the next day by running away with a teenager he had essentially just met. It's hard to see him in a good light when he is willing to do such a thing to his family. I kept desperately hoping that the connection between the leads was more of a father daughter connection, because she had lost her dad and uncle, and his own daughter wasn't into music. My hopes were dashed when they became physical and i found it creepy and unnecessary. they could have gone a totally different way with this and made the film more touching and inspiring. Instead, it bread negativity with no solution. Having said all of that, the scenery was absolutely beautiful, and the score was magnificent. The acting was also superb. Each actor played their character to a T and it was very believable. However, wish I hadn't wasted my time with this one.

At some point in the movie Sophie says to Keith: "You just have to make sure that you're choosing it. I just don't wanna be living a life where I'm not choosing stuff", which is so profound and one of the few real truths of life I think. This movie shows the struggles in life, the awful truth that after 17 years a father, who made sacrifices for his family is not happy being a music teacher and living in the outskirts of New York in a small quiet town. The arrival of exchange student Sophie is the trigger and a wake-up call in his life and marriage. The tender love story is portrayed brilliantly and the paralyzing hit of reality is so profound it will make you think deeply of your own life. This movie is worth the watch.

"Breathe In" is a film whose plot sounds a bit salacious. And, considering it's a rated R film, I was a bit apprehensive to see the movie. After all, the film is about a man who falls in love with the high school exchange student that he and his wife took into their home. However, the film turned out to be extremely well made and not at all what I expected. And, I have no idea why it's rated R, as the film has no nudity, violence and the language is awfully tame. Overall, it's well worth your time finding this film--and it's available as of this week with Netflix.When the story begins, Keith Reynolds (Guy Pearce) and his wife Megan (Amy Ryan) seem to have a very good life. Their daughter is a pretty high school athlete, they have a lovely home in the suburbs and the marriage seems strong. All of this is shaken shortly after they take in Sophie (Felicity Jones)--an exchange student from Britain. You begin to notice that there are some problems in the Reynolds marriage. Keith is a frustrated musician who dreams of leaving his teaching job to be a full-time musician. However, Megan won't even consider this and insists that he must continue working to keep the family just as it is now. And, she is quite dismissive of his dreams and seems to have little desire to connect with his love of music. Here is where Sophie comes into the picture. She is a great pianist herself and loves Keith's music. She also encourages him with his dream of joining a great orchestra. So, as the film progresses, the pair become closer and closer. And so, when they begin to feel inappropriate feelings towards each other (especially since he is her teacher), it's not especially surprising and, in some ways, it's expected by the viewer. However, and this is important, the film is NOT meant as a romance or endorsement for middle-aged men to have sex with young exchange students. Instead, it's a character study about loneliness within a marriage--loneliness which may push someone to consider making some very stupid choices.So why do I recommend the film? Well, the film is so well made in so many ways. The acting (particularly by Pearce and Jones) is so good because it seems so real. And, the director did a nice job of combining this acting, a nice and provocative script and some really wonderful emotive music into a great little package. I also liked it because it really makes you think and assess where you are in your life. It really struck close to home for me and my own marriage. For me, it was actually very affirming because my own wife went through a mid-life crisis like Keith Reynolds--wanting to give up a very lucrative career as an engineer to become a fiction writer. But, unlike Megan, I thought this was great. Sure, it might mean giving up a lot for the family so that she could follow her dream...but we also knew it would kill her if she didn't--and she is worth the sacrifice. And, in the end, we are all so much better for it--she is quite successful and the change has definitely been for the better for not just her but the entire family.As I mentioned above, this film just came out on Netflix this week and is well worth seeing--particularly with your partner or other loved ones. Don't worry about the R rating--it's also fine for you to see with your teens or mother! I also noticed a reviewer who saw the film as tedious. Well, I sure didn't and it kept my interest throughout.