Having said all that, the cast of Blackbird is great. Each is believable as the character they are portraying, and they meld together into a plausible family, dysfunction, and all. Sometimes Oscar bait lands someone a nomination, and Susan Sarandon has a shot. Scene by scene, Blackbird is excellent. Mia Wasikowska and Kate Winslet going at each other as squabbling siblings is a thing to behold. Sam Neill is great (and the most understated performance) in every scene. And even less well-known actors like Anson Boon and Bex Taylor-Klaus more than hold their own. But it is when the whole family gets together that the real magic happens. Whether they are bonding or bickering, having a bunch of great actors at a table going at it is a fun thing to see.
“Even though you can see the strings in the puppet act, the plight of the characters still sometimes manages to get to you.”
Even though you can see the strings in the puppet act, the plight of the characters still sometimes manages to get to you. I imagine your reaction may depend on whether or not you’ve had to be a part of this process. Since I have been one of those friends and family members surrounding a loved one at the moment of death, I have to say it was hard to hold back the tears. As I walked out of the screening, I found newfound joy in life all around me, even in the smallest of details. For a movie to accomplish that is no mean feat. Sure, Blackbird has an agenda and as predictable, but it also has top-notch acting and manages to be moving nonetheless.
Blackbird had its world premiere at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival
"…has top-notch acting and manages to be moving nonetheless."
