Here (2024)

​"Here" stars Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Paul Bettany, Kelly Reilly, and Michelle Dockery.  Released on November 1, 2024, the film chronicles the events occurring in a single spot.

The film is directed by Robert Zemeckis, who also directed films such as "Back to the Future", "Forrest Gump", "Cast Away", "The Walk", and "Welcome to Marwen".  It is based on the graphic novel by Richard McGuire.  Life can be full of many possibilities if you know where to look.  We may not even notice, but there are different parts on our planet where each one has its own history to tell, not just ours.  While they don't seem that exciting at first glance, these spots actually share special memories and history that shape people into who they are, whether they're happy or sad.  This particular spot is one of them, as the team behind "Forrest Gump", including Robert Zemeckis, takes audiences on an experimental journey through this merry-go-round we call life inside a single house.  Does it provide enough memories from that spot and the film's format to make it a unique experience, or are we better off moving to a different location?  Let's find out.

Now, this is usually the part of my review where I discuss the movie's story.  Well, "Here" is one of those occasions where there's not much story to explain since it only occurs on a single spot of land.  We only see different eras of history happening before our eyes from one location, ranging from prehistoric times to the present.  This includes the creation of a house that was resided by multiple people, including a man named Richard Young (Hanks) and his wife Margaret (Wright).  From the perspective of the house's single corner, the story chronicles Richard and his family as they endure the joys and hardships of their everyday lives.

Undoubtedly, I've been a supporter of Robert Zemeckis for as long as I can remember.  He was one of the pinnacles of the film industry that defined my childhood, ranging from "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" to "The Polar Express".  However, it's also hard to ignore that the once-acclaimed director has been on a troubling streak with his recent directorial efforts.  Starting with 2016's "Allied", Zemeckis has released a few movies that struggle to capture the cinematic heydays of his classics and visual achievements.  They're either seen as disappointments or unpleasant experiences that lack the humane touch of his vision.  Even his recent take on the Disney version of "Pinocchio" failed to win over doubters who are still skeptical of Disney's live-action remakes.  The last movie he did that was downright fantastic was "The Walk" in 2015, but after that, he just…fizzled out.  Regardless, I still respect Zemeckis for his imagination and wonder in his storytelling, even if some of his works weren't as memorable as others.  That's why I was interested in his take on Richard McGuire's groundbreaking experimental six-page comic strip, which initially seemed impossible to adapt.

As mentioned earlier, the entire narrative in "Here" occurs in a single spot across multiple eras.  There are no moments that cut away from that location to focus on a specific character, including Richard, except the ending.  Everything that occurs in life is seen from that one spot only.  So, in a way, it's equivalent to watching a theatre production, but without unintentionally ruining the actors' concentration with our coughing or cell phone usage.  Those who have been watching theatre will certainly get that reference, but does this narrative tool also deliver another attention-grabbing depiction of life?  Sort of, but not in the same vein as the filmmaker's other works.  "Here" is an impressive feat in its experimental, stagey presentation, offering an intriguing experience that puts audiences front and center into the center of the characters and their actions.  Sadly, that novelty wore off faster than anticipated when taking the execution of its screenplay and emotion into consideration.

Zemeckis and Eric Roth have previously written the screenplay for "Forrest Gump", and considering how great that movie was, it showed some promise that they'd cook up something enthralling for "Here".  Unfortunately, because of its unique format, they'd have to work around that challenging obstacle to properly display its thematic material involving life, hope, loss, and love.  To give them credit, though, they offered a few moments in their script that could've made the movie a genuine tear-jerker, especially Richard's complex struggle to keep the family together.  However, due to the limitations of its presentation, the film couldn't make those moments feel earned since we barely followed everyone outside of that spot.  There were actually some heartfelt scenes that made me crack a smile, but everything else regarding the emotional core and character depth was pretty subpar.  

The movie also had times when it switches between different eras via a non-linear narrative, focusing on different sets of characters and their dilemmas.  The plot's primary focus is Richard and his family, serving as the heart of its themes, but most times, it transitions from the past to the future throughout the film's runtime.  While some sequences serve a purpose in the primary story, mainly ones involving Richard's parents, Al (Bettany) and Rose (Reilly), the rest were random fillers that didn't offer much compared to the Young family.  If the graphic novel is like this as well, then I shouldn't complain too much since the movie honored that structure.  But, for those who haven't heard of the graphic novel, including myself, the structure can leave some scratching their heads about why the other characters deserve our attention regarding their arcs.  It also doesn't help that a few transitions were a bit inconsistent with the tonal shift, with one going from sadness to happy-go-lucky in an instant.

However, amid those troubling issues I had with the story, I would still consider "Here" ambitious for its presentation.  It's hard to ignore that Robert Zemeckis hasn't regained his storytelling groove yet regarding his screenplay.  Still, he often compensates with his creative vision regarding the sense of humanity and awe in its frequently showy visual spectacle.  He's been an innovator in visual effects for a reason.  Even though his direction for its storytelling didn't reach similar heights as his earlier films, I would credit Zemeckis for faithfully adapting the structure of McGuire's source material.  The cinematography by Don Burgess was sublime in capturing the film's stage-like background, and Jesse Goldsmith's editing was seamless for the transitions, especially the panel boxes reflecting a different era in the same location.  As for the visual effects, there were a few instances where the CGI looked a tad distracting, but everything else, including the aging and de-aging effects, looked all right for a movie that costs $50 million.  I would also credit Alan Silvestri, who previously worked with Zemeckis on "Forrest Gump", for delivering a harmonious and gentle score that matches the movie's humane side.

The cast themselves were one of the reasons I tolerated the movie's flawed narrative, as the actors delivered as much humanity and heart as they could through their performances.  Tom Hanks is another actor whose endearing performance can carry a film's emotional weight, whether the end result is good or not.  I'm unsure if I could recall one bad performance Hanks had because I only see him as one hell of a talented actor.  Unsurprisingly, Hanks's performance as Richard in "Here" is no different, as he delivered another heartwarming portrayal that's engaging enough to excuse the film's iffy pacing and narrative.  Robin Wright was also outstanding as Margaret, a loving wife who strives to convince Richard to sell the house they grew up in.  I would also credit Paul Bettany and Kelly Reilly for their suitable performances as Richard's parents.

Overall, "Here" is an ambitious single-location journey through life's treasures whose intrigue and emotion are bogged down by its subpar, half-baked narrative.  The thing about these types of movies is that I always enjoy seeing filmmakers try something experimental in their presentation and technical aspects.  However, the impact it leaves always depends on the effectiveness of the storytelling and themes it represents with that cinematic ambition.  For example, I loved "Piece by Piece" because it brought a refreshing approach to the documentary/biopic format through the art of Lego while delivering a thought-provoking and entertaining story of acceptance and staying true to one's own creativity.  

"Here" is nowhere near comparable to "Piece by Piece".  But I will give the film this.  Zemeckis's unique approach to the presentation was commendable in faithfully representing the graphic novel's appearance regarding the cinematography and editing.  It's that the execution of its narrative couldn't find the proper amount of depth and development in its poignant themes and characters to coincide with that approach, resulting in a history that's not worth remembering.  It's far from boring since the cast, technical aspects, and Alan Silvestri's musical score were engaging.  However, regarding everything else, it seems Robert Zemeckis still hasn't regained his cinematic groove yet.  If you like the actors involved and Zemeckis's other works, especially "Forrest Gump", this isn't an immediate must-see at the theater, but it is worth a watch for the presentation and cast alone.

C-