The Impossible

The real stars of this melodramatic tearjerker are Tom Holland and the emotionally manipulative score by Fernando Velázquez. Tom Holland (of "Billy Elliot the Musical" fame) , like his big screen counterpart Jamie Bell from "Billy Elliot", will go far. He is actually the emotional core of the whole show and he ably carried the weight of the movie on his young shoulders. Fascinating to watch on screen. Naomi Watts was outstanding as the matriarch of the family but her character was written too simply and flat. Although her portrayal was intense and authentic, and Watts sure as hell acted out of it, she was let down by the uncomplex characterisation. Nonetheless, she definitely deserves the accolades but as the final berth of this year's Best Actress Oscar race, I thought Marion Cotillard from "Rust and Bone" gave a more powerfully nuanced and subtle performance compared to Watts slightly more showy role. Ewan McGregor had a less showy role which he too carried off with panache, and he absolutely nailed his one big emotional cathartic scene. As said earlier, Velázquez score was key to tugging the heartstrings and milking the tears duct, without it, Juan Antonio Bayona's (of the brilliant "The Orphanage" fame) direction will just be dramatic without the mélos. This was a better depiction of the the 2004 Tsunami than Clint Eastwood's "Hereafter". The first 20-30 minutes were one of the most harrowing and frightening cinematic experiences (no thanks to Holland, Watts, Velázquez and Bayona). Which then brings us to the question: Is too soon still?