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Title: Unicorn Store (2017)
Director: Brie Larson
Writers: Samantha McIntyre
Stars: Brie Larson (Kit), Samuel L. Jackson (The Salesman), Joan Cusack (Gladys), Bradley Whitford (Gene), and Mamoudou Athie (Virgil)
Genre(s): Comedy/Drama
SHOW RATING OVERVIEW
Writing: ★★
Cinematography: ★★★
Story: ★★
Acting: ★★★★
Overall: ★★★ (2.75)
STORYLINE:
A woman named Kit receives a mysterious invitation that would fulfill her childhood dreams.
MY 2 CENTS:
It will pass the time. This movie is more about the message than it is the acting or the script.
Let’s start with the cast. The lineup is pretty amazing. I mean, come on… you’ve got Brie Larson (AKA Captain Marvel) playing the lead – and, oh by the way, she directed the film too, ‘A List’ actor Samuel L. Jackson as the strange yet inspirational Salesman, Joan Cusack as Gladys, Kit’s quirky emotional mom, and Bradley Whitford as Gene, Kit’s caring and insightful father. The cast was great, so I expected the film to be great too. That is where I made my mistake.
I knew nothing about this film when I decided to watch it. I was Brie Larson and Samuel L. Jackson on the Netflix poster and said, “Yeah ok. I’ll give this a try.”
The idea of a store called “The Store” in the movie, or “Unicorn Store” in the title of the film, being able to fulfill your childhood dreams is somewhat intriguing. But then again, what were your childhood dreams? I mean really think back to when you were a little kid and what was the one thing you wanted more than anything?
The lead character, Kit, wanted to have a pet unicorn. Oddly enough, she carried that childhood dream into her adult life. When I was a kid, I’m sure I wanted a pony at some point or another, but more than anything I think I wanted a chauffeur driven limousine. Do I still want a pony? Probably not. Do I still want a chauffeur driven limousine? Sure, but not enough to follow a mysterious invitation into what appears to be an abandoned building to see if my dreams could be realized.
As I’ve gotten older, my dreams (or rather my goals) have changed. In most cases, I would think this is true for just about everyone. I think it would be hard to find someone with the same goals and dreams they had as a child well into their 30s, 40s, or even 50s and beyond. So, for me, this film lost its reality when we find a 20+ or 30+ struggling artist who still have a very powerful dream of one day owning a pet unicorn.
Don’t get me wrong, I know this movie isn’t just about the pet unicorn or struggle to obtain a unicorn. It’s a metaphor. Behind the weird script lies a message is about belief, I not only yourself but others. It is full of childlike love, ambition, wonder, and even fear. Think of it as a mid-life crisis… a coming of age story about a woman in her late 20s/early 30s struggling to find herself, her purpose, and most importantly her place in life.
This movie is not for everyone, and I don’t really think I am part of the target audience. With that said, I’m sure there is an audience perfectly in tuned to its unique sense of quirkiness.
If you’ve seen this film, please comment below and let me know what you thought. If you haven’t and are daring, I’d love it if you’d watch it and then come back to share your thoughts with me and my readers.
MY FAVORITE QUOTES:
“The most adult thing you can do is failing in what you really care about.” ~ Gladys
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You can watch the official trailer here:
Nina Soden 