Rosemarie DeWitt
Jennifer Garner
Judy Greer
Dean Norris
Adam Sandler
Ansel Elgort
Kaitlyn Dever

Jason Reitman
Erin Cressida Wilson

119 mins.
Comedy, Drama
October 17, 2014

Rated R for strong sexual content including graphic dialogue throughout-some involving teens, and for language. (MPAA)

Jason Reitman’s “Men, Women & Children” begins on the cosmic scale. We’re shown the space probe Voyager 1 as it hurtles through space in the hopes of an encounter with an intelligent alien species. We’re told that it contains a Golden Record, which includes video and a collection of sounds from Earth curated by Carl Sagan. Then, the film shrinks in scope to the mundane and pathetic problem of Adam Sandler’s father character: He has too much malware on his computer to find online material for masturbation. He ventures into his son’s room to use the computer therein and finds that his son shares his desires. That opening encapsulates the main theme of this film: In the age of the Internet and social media, our relationships (or lack thereof) have seemingly come to signify nothing (or not much in comparison to the grand scope of the universe). So here’s a question: Why and how have we gotten here? Another: Where are we going? And another: Can our shared experiences bind us or further separate us? Essentially, is there any meaning in our modern, computerized, seemingly shallow interactions?

Reitman wants to capture our current age. But by highlighting the trivial against the backdrop of the universe, he presents our current age as nothing more than that. The seemingly insignificant remains disconnected from the possibility of cosmic grandiosity. Terrence Malick tackled something similar in his magnificent “The Tree of Life.” In that film, the everyday events hold lots of power. But “The Tree of Life” has a dream-like quality (and other qualities) that this film lacks. This film is much more straightforward. That might be its problem. While you don’t have to have an ethereal approach for this to work, you do have to be involved in some way. Where’s the energy and insightfulness of Reitman’s best film to date, “Up in the Air”? Not that this film has to be the same, but he tapped into something in that film. He had a fresher take.

Unlike “Up in the Air,” this film is closer to being merely a collection of scenes from the disjointed perspectives of the people referenced in its title than to making a fully realized statement. It documents what has already been documented in many different films before (Internet or no Internet), and none of its scenes click. It’s stale. This is no “Crash” or even “Babel.” Emma Thompson’s narration doesn’t help – it just reminds the viewer that this is a story, further distancing the audience from the events onscreen. It’s not Thompson’s fault. The rest of the actors in the cast, which is a strong one, don’t add much either. But how could they?

With all of that stated, I must note that this isn’t a terrible film. It just sets up a premise that it can’t handle. If Reitman had left out all of the cosmic elements, then he could’ve focused more on linking the scenes in a way that engenders a response. Shrink the scope, magnify the importance of the details. He could have focused more on Ansel Elgort’s character, who’s preoccupied with the meaninglessness of existence within a cosmic context. He could have gone beyond superficial explanations. He could have found some rhythm, a flow. Even the 9/11 section seemed forced, unnecessary, and unimportant.

Unfortunately, this is just a meaningless (polished yet meaningless) film about meaninglessness, when it could have been a meaningful film about meaninglessness. It could have gone much deeper into why and how we’ve gotten to this point in history. Now that would have been something.

Verdict: Somewhat Bad

About: (Source: menwomenchildren)

MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN follows the story of a group of high school teenagers and their parents as they attempt to navigate the many ways the internet has changed their relationships, their communication, their self-image, and their love lives. The film attempts to stare down social issues such as video game culture, anorexia, infidelity, fame hunting, and the proliferation of illicit material on the internet. As each character and each relationship is tested, we are shown the variety of roads people choose – some tragic, some hopeful – as it becomes clear that no one is immune to this enormous social change that has come through our phones, our tablets, and our computers.