The Greatest Hits
Summary
The Greatest Hitsfollows a once bud music manufacturer , Harriet ( Lucy Boynton ) , two old age after a tragic car stroke claimed the life of her boyfriend , Max ( David Corenswet ) . The accident left her with a traumatic psyche harm that had an unusual aftermath no aesculapian pro can explain — she can time travel to specific second in her relationship by listening to the song that were diddle in those berth . hear these vocal like a shot triggers Harriet and sends her back in time , where she desperately tries to alter realness and prevent her swain ’s dying .
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Cast
While she relive the past through quixotic memories of her former young man , her time - travel collides with a burgeon Modern love involvement in the present ( Justin H. Min ) . And she wonder - even if she could change the past , should she ?
The assumption is a somewhat young take onthe time travel trope . Harriet has this ability that allow her to either live over key moments or change them , butThe Greatest Hits’goal is certainly not for her to ghost over changing thing , right ? She will finally learn it is better to experience , making love , and remember these second than to be emotionally tethered to the past , correct ? distinctive as it may be , there is a profound , excited example to be learn . However , writer - director Ned Benson loses the plot .
The Greatest Hits Never Hits The Right Notes
The Greatest Hitsis a narrative mess . apart from decent performances , the literal love for medicine and its communal impact , and the soft , warm cinematography , the pic descend aside with a flimsy , obscene script . The crux of the matter of the story is about overcoming grief and trying to reconcile what your at rest loved one would want for you versus what you want for them . If you could save someone from go bad tragically , would you , even if it costs you something in payoff ? The pic roil down to this question and , shockingly , make the untimely choices at every turn .
Harriet is an intelligible part . She is a spot too stubborn with how she keep back onto grief and desperately attempts to save Max from his inevitable fate . It ’s thanks in turgid part to Boynton ’s performance that we sympathize with her . However , Benson does n’t follow the logical route that come with get a new sexual love stake dance step into her biography . Rather than exact that she alter or line up to her new normal , David ( Justin H. Min ) is kind , reason , and willing to walk alongside her as she attempt to overwhelm her heartbreak .
Aside from decorous carrying into action , the genuine erotic love for music and its communal impact , and the soft , warm cinematography , the celluloid fall asunder with a thin , abhorrent script .
David is an ideal match for Harriet , with his interest in medicine and nostalgia align with hers and his knowledgeable awareness of loss anchoring their family relationship . David is the physical materialization of an out for Harriet . It is an easy out , too , but she needs to recognize and seize it . Yet , Benson seems determined to go bad his protagonist , the audience , and the budding relationship for a truly absurd choice that vaporize in the brass of what should be the film ’s core theme , which is that brokenheartedness is temporary . There ’s a way to move on when faced with a devastating loss .
The concept of write someone from doom has beena basic in many time locomotion motion-picture show , but this flick fails to get us to root for Harriet and Max in a fashion that makes us want to save him as desperately as she does . If anything , the film leads us in the other direction for so long , allowing Harriet and the audience to take David as a suitable lucifer . He is not just a rebound but a solid novel path to love and a felicitous biography , yet the film ’s third act is frustratingly bad .
Lucy Boynton & Justin H. Min Nail The Romance Despite The Messy Story
Lucy Boynton is instrumental in makingThe Greatest Hitsbearable . As Harriet navigates her grief , Boynton naturally conveys her character ’s complicated emotion . The only gull against her carrying out is some of her stilted stemma delivery due to the characterless American accent she sports . Perfecting an American accent has been an obstruction stymy many not bad public presentation , and Boynton is not one of the few who can surmount it .
Nevertheless , she does what she needs to do . Her chemistry with Austin Crute is nice to see , but more credit cash in one’s chips to Crute for being so tempting and charismatic . His theatrical role support from the dim honest booster syndrome , making his persona absolutely useless once the romance with Justin H. Min ’s David blossoms .
If it were n’t for Boynton ’s sweet chemistry with Min , The Greatest Hitswould be an absolute misfire . But despite the actors having some truly endearing , excited moments that give us what we want in a sappy romance , the moving picture falls scant of being thesweeping romantic storywe deserve . It is unfortunate to see good actors waste on a premise that can not be taken seriously . The Greatest Hitscould’ve become an instant hit with Romance language fans , but the story choices just find unseasonable . At least we have Min as a romantic booster cable , which is always enjoyable .
The Greatest Hitspremiered at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival . It will be in theaters April 5 and available to stream on Hulu April 12 .
