Movie of the Week: Kodachrome

Alexa: After reading the New York Times article that inspired “Kodachrome,” I find myself immensely frustrated by all the clever things this movie could have been and wasn’t. In her review for Entertainment Weekly, Leah Greenblatt says the film “feels like it was generated by a Sundance screenwriting app,” and she hits the nail right on the head. It’s as formulaic as indie dramedies come, for all the pros and cons that go along with that. The New York Times piece hints at an assortment of interesting photographers who, for a whole host of reasons, have held onto their devotion to Kodachrome film until the last possible second. There is a breadth of clever territory for the filmmakers to mine for this story, perhaps a rich ensemble of characters and a deeper exploration of what photography means to society - a theme the film barely scratches the surface of in the third act. But instead they settle for the familiar strokes of long-gestating issues between children and their parents and quirky love stories in which two lost souls fall for each other amid mutual heartbreak and alternative rock. Luckily for “Kodachrome,” it features some truly stellar performances that elevate it. Elizabeth Olsen’s character feels unnecessary, but she does an exceptional job with what she’s given. Jason Sudeikis and Ed Harris have tremendous chemistry as father and son. Their dynamic is the heart and soul of the film, but that storyline could have been even more impactful as part of a less derivative plot.

Joel: The “mystery” of this movie is based around what those four rolls of film are. What final four roles of pictures that were taken long ago are so important that they inspire a cross country journey to get them developed? You’re probably going to figure out what’s on the film roles about ten minutes into the movie even though it’s not revealed until the final shots of the movie. But an obvious reveal doesn’t mean that it’s the wrong reveal. In fact the reason that you can guess what the pictures are of is because the way the movie is structured there is really only one acceptable ending.
I’m not saying that the movie was bad or wrong for having this ending, in fact the movie feels quite the opposite. It’s a story that’s allowed to unfold and progress naturally, the ending is apparent early on, but it’s an ending that feels right and one that makes the movie justified in its existence. This is a movie that you could probably guess all the major beats for just by reading the description and looking at the movie poster. But despite that, or perhaps because of it, Kodachrome is able to use the expected plot to allow the characters to develop. This movie is an acting piece. Jason Sudeikis, Ed Harris, and Emily Olson are all given several moments to shine. And it’s the acting in the movie that stays with you after the movie is over. It’s nice to have a road trip movie where things don’t go wrong, the car doesn’t break down, and they don’t pick up a crazy hitchhiker. It’s just a road trip that allows a trio of talented actors to spend a lot of time with each other and really develop the relationships.

Chris: We've mentioned several times about how Netflix has nailed original shows and documentaries but something always seemed to be lacking when it came to their original movies and that's why I'm glad to see movies like Mudbound and now Kodachrome turn out so well. Neither are perfect movies by any stretch but they still seem like vast improvements in a short period of time. I had this movie in the back of my head for a while ever since I read this interview Jason Sudeikis had done with Uproxx where the interviewer Mike Ryan had lost his father since first seeing Kodachrome and was looking for the kind of closure Sudeikis' character experienced at the end of the movie. And yeah, its a heavy movie to watch on Father's Day weekend but it's a somber reminder to appreciate what you have while you have it or at the very least, make your peace with someone while you still can.

Like Joel said, the third act of the movie is one that you see coming a mile away but that's alright, Kodachrome isn't the kind of movie that's leaning on keeping the audience guessing because the focus is the relationship between the three characters and their interactions, which could not have been executed any better.

Jason: This was a hell of a movie to watch the day before Father’s Day. I really wasn’t prepared to cry today. This movie really hit me hard. I had a very strained and distant relationship with my own dad for many years. Later in his life, he was in very poor health and then one cold December night, I learned he was in the hospital after an accident. He was gone a week later. Seeing this kind of relationship played out on screen was not easy for me. Whew… Anyway.

To be honest, I didn’t go into this one with high hopes. Jason Sudeikis can be really hit or miss for me, especially with his comedy. That’s what I thought I was getting into. But I was pleasantly surprised. All three of the main actors really drive it home with their performances. Ed Harris’s character, Ben, is complex not only emotionally but physically. The slow deliberate movements, the poignant way of talking. It all felt very real.

While the ending is predictable, as Joel pointed out, there really was no other way for this to have ended that would have rounded it out as well. Anything else on that film would have undermined everything the road trip stood for for both Matt and Ben. The reconciliation that the two finally got to have, even at the very end was what mattered most to both of them.

I liked this one. It’s not one that I’ll be able to watch again any time soon, but I did very much like it.