Director Jean-Marc Vallée
Genre Comedy | Drama
Cast Jake Gyllenhaal, Naomi Watts, Chris Cooper, Heather Lind
Rating R
Release Date April 8th, 2016
“A successful investment banker struggles after losing his wife in a tragic car crash.”
Demolition is directed by Jean-Marc Vallée who previously directed Dallas Buyers Club and Wild. The film is written by Bryan Sipe who recently wrote the 2015 romantic drama The Choice. The film stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Naomi Watts, and Chris Cooper and debuted at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
My expectations were somewhat in the middle of the road but Demolition proved to be a very entertaining and engaging film. I enjoyed the experience of watching the main character Davis, played by Jake Gyllenhaal embark on his full-fledged journey of soul searching. Davis is a unique individual battling some complex emotions and uncertainties to the point where he begins to question his own life and what it all means. Gyllenhaal steals the show and Demolition wouldn’t even be on my radar if this role were to have been given to a less capable actor. While I feel the writing is strong, it does stumble and feels a bit convoluted at times. It also suffers from some pacing issues and has its fair share of “lull you to sleep” periods. Luckily when things slow down the characters are brought back into focus and all is right in the world.
Gyllenhaal is absolutely incredible in Demolition and he once again proves why he is one of my favorite actors. The guy is simply amazing and his rare talent began to shine all the way back in 2001 when he starred in the cult classic Donnie Darko. Since then he has starred in one hit after another and Gyllenhaal is capable of making an average to mediocre script shine with his acting ability. The character he plays in Demolition has many layers and he transitions between them seamlessly. Naomi Watts and Chris Cooper are also fantastic in their respective roles. Gyllenhaal and Cooper previously starred together in the 2005 war based drama Jarhead, and in this film it is clear that their chemistry has remained intact over the years.
Demolition is a deeply engaging character study that includes some of the best acting you will experience in 2016. It is not without its faults and does suffer from pacing issues that lend to the film feeling slow and almost boring at times. If you can appreciate filmmaking as an art form and enjoy something that feels a little different and less commercialized (as the hipsters would say), Demolition is well worth checking out.
