Puzzle (2018 film)
Puzzle | |
---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Marc Turtletaub |
Produced by |
|
Written by |
|
Based on |
Rompecabezas by Natalia Smirnoff |
Starring |
|
Music by | Dustin O'Halloran |
Cinematography | Chris Norr |
Edited by | Catherine Haight |
Production companies |
|
Distributed by | Sony Pictures Classics |
Release date |
|
Running time | 103 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Box office | $2 million[1] |
Puzzle is a 2018 American drama film directed by Marc Turtletaub and written by Oren Moverman and Polly Mann, based on the 2010 Argentine film of the same name.[2] It premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival.[3][4] Sony Pictures Classics then acquired the worldwide rights to the film, and released it on July 27, 2018.[5]
Premise
Agnes, taken for granted as a suburban wife and mother, discovers a passion for solving jigsaw puzzles which unexpectedly draws her into a new world – where her life unfolds in ways she could never have imagined.
Cast
- Kelly Macdonald as Agnes, Louie’s wife and mother to Ziggy and Gabe
- Josselyn Wolf as Young Agnes
- Irrfan Khan as Robert, Agnes’ puzzle partner
- David Denman as Louie, Agnes’ husband and Ziggy and Gabe’s father
- Bubba Weiler as Ziggy, Agnes and Louie's older son and Gabe’s brother
- Austin Abrams as Gabe, Agnes and Louie’s younger son and Ziggy’s brother and Nicki’s boyfriend
- Liv Hewson as Nicki, Gabe's girlfriend
Reception
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 83% based on 111 reviews, with an average rating of 7/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Puzzle transcends its quirky premise with honest emotion -- and Kelly Macdonald, whose nicely understated performance proves she's too often underutilized."[6] On Metacritic, it holds a weighted average score of 66 out of 100, based on 33 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[7]
Peter Debruge from Variety described the remake of the well-liked Argentine film as a way for "Kelly Macdonald to shine amid the yawn-inducing world of competitive jigsaw puzzling."[8] Kate Erbland from IndieWire gave film a grade of "B+" and said that Macdonald "excels in the rare drama that follows a woman's own journey to self-actualization", and that the film "toes a tough line, managing to stay relentlessly good-hearted and deeply humane, even as Agnes herself plunges into deeper, more dramatic waters".[9]
Jordan Ruimy from The Playlist said that the film takes its time "to let its characters breathe, building up a beautiful atmosphere filled with richly lit, eye-melting shots" by Norr. However, he noted that the script eventually is complicated by "a struggle to tie things up, if they should be tied-up at all".[10]
References
- ↑ "Puzzle (2018)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
- ↑ Ford, Rebecca (May 8, 2017). "Kelly Macdonald, Irrfan Khan to Star in 'Puzzle' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
- ↑ Debruge, Peter (November 29, 2017). "Sundance Film Festival Unveils Full 2018 Features Lineup". Variety. Penske Business Media. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
- ↑ "Puzzle". Sundance Film Festival. The Sundance Institute. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
- ↑ Siegel, Tatiana (January 25, 2018). "Sundance: Kelly Macdonald Drama 'Puzzle' Goes to Sony Classics for $5M". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
- ↑ "Puzzle (2018)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
- ↑ "Puzzle Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
- ↑ Debruge, Peter (January 25, 2018). "Sundance Film Festival: 'Puzzle'". Variety. Penske Business Media. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
- ↑ Erbland, Kate (January 24, 2018). "'Puzzle' Review: Kelly Macdonald Puts the Pieces Together in Good-Hearted Midlife Crisis Drama — Sundance 2018". IndieWire. Penske Business Media. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
- ↑ Ruimy, Jordan (January 25, 2018). "'Puzzle' Puts Together A Stunning Drama With A Remarkable Kelly Macdonald [Sundance Review]". The Playlist. Retrieved May 20, 2018.