Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper’s latest movie is an artistic masterpiece!
North Carolina mountains at the end of the 1920s - George and Serena Pemberton, love-struck newly-weds, begin to build a timber empire. Serena soon proves herself to be equal to any man: overseeing loggers, hunting rattle-snakes, even saving a man’s life in the wilderness. With power and influence now in their hands, the Pembertons refuse to let anyone stand in the way of their inflated love and ambitions. However, once Serena discovers George’s hidden past and faces an unchangeable fate of her own, the Pemberton’s passionate marriage begins to unravel leading toward a dramatic reckoning.
This movie has been highly anticipated since its release was announced earlier this year. Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper have worked together on quite a few successful films in the past, but this is the best yet!
The casting of Lawrence and Cooper is superb, both are amazingly talented and diverse actors, and they have already developed a strong rapport working on prior films together. Rhys Ifans plays the mysterious character of Galloway and his subtle style of acting fits perfectly into this film. Toby Jones is also a standout and his American accent certainly can’t be criticised in this film!
This film is an artwork rather than “just a film” each shot has been constructed brilliantly by director Susanne Bier and you can tell the effort that has been afforded to this picture.
The genre of this film is quite unique, it's a romance, suspense, mystery thriller and it always keeps you guessing. I fear due to its unusual style, strange genre and graphic content it won’t attract a mainstream audience.
Overall this film is superb in all aspects, the casting, direction, story, script, cinematography and lighting. It is one of the best films of the year and I do implore you all to go see this work of art!
Note: Serena has only been released in France and Australia at this stage, an American release is scheduled for February and a general British release is supposed to happen sometime next year!
5 Stars
Review by Benjamin Maio Mackay
Screening courtesy of Picture This Marketing