Demolition [2015]

EMM# : 7348
Added: 2016-08-03

Demolition (2015)
LIFE: Some Disassembly Required.

Rating: 7.1

Movie Details:

Genre: Drama (Drama)

Length: 1 h 41 min - 101 min

Video: 1920x816 (23.976 Fps - 2 050 Kbps)

Studio: Black Label Media| Mr. Mudd| Right of Way Films| S...(cut)

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Davis (Jake Gyllenhaal), a successful investment banker, struggles after losing his wife in a tragic car crash. Despite pressure from his father-in-law, Phil (Chris Cooper), to pull it together, Davis continues to unravel. What starts as a complaint letter to a vending machine company turns into a series of letters revealing startling personal admissions. Davis' letters catch the attention of customer service rep, Karen (Naomi Watts), and, amidst emotional and financial burdens of her own, the two form an unlikely connection. With the help of Karen and her son Chris (Judah Lewis), Davis starts to rebuild, beginning with the demolition of the life he once knew. Written by

Plot Synopsis:
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kathy from Toronto
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I was invited to this film at the last minute and had no idea what it was about. I was surprised to find it was about relationships and loss, not action and adventure. Jean- Marc Vallée sets the scene with a haphazard, dated Technicolor palette, even in the hospital and contrasts it with the cold tones, shapes and the crispness of Davis' house. The coldness is a kind of veneer or ice that has settled on the main character and the complex stages of reaction to loss that Davis (Gyllenhaal) goes through are the heart of this film. It has a kind of edgy subtlety that slides into crazy in just the right way. I loved the "rock and roll" soundtrack as Vallée put it.

A strong cast and story has made an entertaining and thought provoking film.

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allstarrunner from United States
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Don't go into this expecting a comedy, even though that is one of the tags on the IMDb page. Though it does have elements of dark comedy.

This is not a lighthearted movie, to say the least; yet I would describe it as powerful and very "real." It is the complete opposite of a fairy tale and the complete opposite of romantic comedies - and that is very refreshing. It will cause you to think long and hard about your own relationships. You will continue to think about the movie long after you have left the theater.

If you like thought provoking movies that have very authentic characters and story lines, then I recommend this movie for you. The movie isn't all dark, it does have it's lighthearted moments and I felt it did a great job building the emotion as the movie went on.

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Manal Shalaby from Egypt
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"Together, they would watch everything that was so carefully planned collapse, and they would smile at the beauty of destruction." Markus Zusak, The Book Thief

Sometimes all you need is one piece to fall off the seemingly perfect construct you've built around yourself. Only then, you'll realize what's been long buried beneath and almost forgotten. That one piece was the tragic death of Davis' wife in a car accident in the revelatory opening sequence of Demolition.

Davis (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a young banker who is married to Julia, his boss's daughter, and, from an outsider's point of view, seems to have his life all figured out. Davis' subsequent emotional numbness and irrational behavior become a source of persistent annoyance to everyone around him, leading him to realize his own metaphorical death which is brought about by Julia's tragic, yet necessary, death – it is the one piece that had to come apart so that Davis would notice the malfunction of his ostensibly ideal life, just like the leaking fridge in his kitchen. And this is when he decides to take everything in his life apart to get to the bottom of who he really is and how he really feels. On his journey of self- exploration, Davis crosses paths with Karen (Naomi Watts), a customer service representative of a small vending machines company, and her rebellious 15-year-old son, Chris (Judah Lewis).

I don't think I ever wanted this movie to end. I've watched it twice so far and I'm still overwhelmed by the emotional genius of both screen writer Bryan Sipe and director Jean-Marc Vallée (Dallas Buyers Club, Wild). Following Davis' course of thinking, I've been trying to take things apart in this movie to understand why I loved it so much and why I end up crying like babies every time, but I just can't put my hand on one thing – it's simply everything. Not a single scene nor a single line in Demolition felt redundant or slightly detaching; they are all beautifully connected like notes in a musical piece, all leading up in an emotional crescendo to an inevitable coda that lingers way after the film ends. And despite the excessive use of montage, it all felt natural and poetic in a way. This is one film made with passion.

Peering into the nature of human relationships is extremely difficult, not to mention trying to dismantle them. That's why Davis' fumbling through his existential ordeal changes from irrational to funny to understandable to incredibly relatable. We don't only take pleasure in watching Davis taking his life apart but we envy him for this melancholic yet euphoric realization of the truth that usually comes after destruction, and which we all yearn for in one way or another. Destroying entails thinking in retrospect, necessarily resulting in painful regret but one that is usually accompanied by blissful realization. Few are the movies that manage to go that deep into human relationships and come back with a bittersweet sense of salvation. Also, the unlikely relationship between Davis, Karen and her son Chris becomes a psychological shelter for the three emotionally misled characters where they get to nurture their empathy and readjust their inner compasses.

The chemistry between Jake Gyllenhaal and Judah Lewis is undeniable, and is highlighted by Sipe's witty script and both actors' topnotch performance. Gyllenhaal's growing acting skills are literally getting out of control (and I mean it in a good way). I don't think anyone could have portrayed Davis as harmoniously as he did, putting you in tears while bringing a smile to your face. After Enemy, Nightcrawler, and Southpaw, Gyllenhaal is slowly and steadily becoming one of the smartest and most talented actors today.

One more thing that makes this experience unforgettable is the music. I've mentioned before that this is a film made with passion, and nothing can give voice to passion as much as music does. I will not talk about the brilliant choices of songs and the perfect song-scene synchronization because that will only make sense when you watch the film.

Demolition will leave you miserably heavy-hearted but spiritually elevated beyond words.

I give it 10 out of 10

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rembert-schofield from Indialantic, Florida
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Demolition is an amazing movie, combining several intertwined lines all connecting at the end. There were some heavy and sensitive issues tackled by this film and they did an awesome job.

I thought the script was well written. I must admit, I didn't see parts of it coming toward the end.

I thought the acting was outstanding. Jake keeps himself in incredible shape and he needed to for this role. It was very physical in parts. His character, you have to feel for him and what he is going through, losing his partner. Chris Cooper is one amazing actor. There are bits where the water works almost turn on. Just amazing.

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brigitte_delfzijl from amsterdam
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FYI: I don't review a lot of movies, except when I feel like I need to tell the world about how they would be missing out if they decided not to watch it. That's how I feel about Demolition. Plus, I've never voted for a 10/10.

Jake Gyllenhaal steals the show, once more. His performance astounds me in every single movie, and just when I thought, oh this may be the first movie I'll watch where he'll disappoint; he does the opposite. I also think that the trailer is way less exciting than the movie.

This story is so honest, refreshing, naked, thrilling, and yet dreamy at the same time. Most of the movie I was sort jealous of them, of the way they are dealing with life. It's disturbing and quite wacky to be honest, but still. The way Naomi Watts and Jake Gyllenhaal portray the characters is phenomenal. Great casting. Also the kid does an amazing job.

This movie portrays how people are far from perfect, and not in a way we've all seen before. It's original, moving, and a pleasure to watch.

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geoced from France
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I went to see this movie without really knowing its pitch or genre. Increasingly, I feel this is the best way to enjoy a feature film, as trailers reveal more and more of the story, going as far as basically spoiling major plot points and leaving nothing to the imagination. A movie trailer should reveal as little as possible but still tease your interest. Good trailers are works of art in their own right : they have their own story and may even use footage that won't appear in the finished movie.

Anyway, all I knew about "Demolition" was that it tells the story of a guy who has to cope with the loss of his wife and, because of that title, I supposed that he was going to loose his mind and that his life was slowly going to spiral out of control. Kind of like 1993's "Falling Down" with Michael Douglas.

While it is true that there is a fair bit of demolition (literally) and quirkiness involved, ultimately this movie is about a man deconstructing his life, demolishing his prejudices in order to find his true self. Once again, Gyllenhaal truly inhabits his character and delivers a remarkable performance, almost as good as his Oscar-worthy role in "Nightcrawler" (which was inexplicably snubbed by the Academy). Gyllenhaal is slowly becoming one of the most talented actors in Hollywood these days! Although the rest of the cast is quite good -- especially the young Judah Lewis -- I'm not sure this film would have worked without him.

All in all, a strange yet interesting film. 7 out of 10.

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stevepeltonen from Helsinki, Finland
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I went into watching this movie with no expectations, without even seeing the trailer and trust me that's the best way of seeing this film. Demolition shocks you in the beginning and then you can follow a numb recovery mixed with dark humour, where someone has to deal with losing a person closest to them. While trying to move forward the Davis also has to look back into his life and relationship to make sense of it all.

The acting is superb especially on the part of Jake Gyllenhaal and it engulfs you in a sea of varying emotions where sometimes you're laughing and then you might be crying.

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Red_Identity from United States
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I feel like it had so much potential in the story and characters. As it is, it's just a very jumbled mess, with some really questionable editing. I do find Jake Gyllenhaal's character really intriguing though, and I thought he did some really strong work. I just wish it had a better grasp on the characters. I can't say I didn't find it very watchable though, and I would say it's better than many of the reviews suggest. I hope Jake can get some end-of-the-year traction for this, but I really doubt it. He's endlessly fascinating and very mesmerizing, and definitely carries the film more than the screenplay does. Not sure, perhaps this is a film only a select few will enjoy.

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matt-levett from Eastbourne
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Choppy editing issues, But superb.

For starters the film has some incredible acting...Jake is utterly convincing in his role as a selfish and seemingly heartless individual devoid of emotion until tragedy entails. The pick up in his thought process is a slow but necessary approach as his mental health issues pick up subtle but convincing time frames and the viewer is left a 50/50 decision on whether you actually like him or not. This is no mean feat for an actor with such a tragic story line and he pulls it off brilliantly.

I would however of liked the mental health issues that surround the process of grief further explored and a stronger message to go out to the audience that grief manifests in so many individual ways that you are never wrong with the way you feel...Its a very precious and intimate individual process.

Naomi Watts character is a little bizarre and almost unnecessary in my view but I will not spoil anything here.

A good just under two hours spent in my opinion with a a lot of thinking to continue for the rest of the evening. A solid 7/10 from me.

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Moviegoer19 from United States
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The best thing about this movie, as many reviewers have already said, is Jake Gyllenhaal, because he is an excellent actor. Naomi Watts is usually a pleasure to watch too, but this script didn't give her much to work with.

The premise is fine; the way it's executed is not. There's too much that doesn't make sense. Actually, I think I was lost early on when I saw Davis driving to and from White Plains, NY and Scarsdale, NY (supposedly) by going through the Queens Midtown Tunnel and over the Queensborough Bridge! If that had been the only goof, well, OK, but there was more that didn't jibe or make sense.

One example is that here is Davis going through this major grieving process, yet he gives more than one statement which indicates he didn't really love his wife. OK, maybe he's grieving for his lost chance to really love her? Maybe.

Another is that he tells his father in law, Chris Cooper, that he's suddenly interested in taking things apart and seeing how they work. But doesn't he really get pleasure just out of demolishing things? When does he actually seek to understand the inner workings of something? Isn't this why the film has the title it does?

The Naomi Watts character is superficial and inconsistent, and without depth. The presence of her confused teenage son also seems gratuitous.

The presence of the station wagon following Davis - I didn't understand this until I read the explanation here in the Discussion Board. Something should have connected it for the viewers' understanding.

There were a few humorous lines. Also the soundtrack was good, though the rationale for some of the songs was unclear and they also seemed gratuitous.

AKAs Titles:

Certifications:
Canada:PG (British Columbia) / Germany:12 / Hong Kong:IIB / Ireland:15A / Philippines:R-13 / Portugal:M/12 / Singapore:NC16 / South Korea:18 (2016) / Switzerland:14 / UK:15 / USA:R (certificate #49862)