- Starring
- Katherine Waterston, Vanessa Kirby, Christopher Abbott, Casey Affleck
- Writers
- Ron Hansen, Jim Shepard
- Director
- Mona Fastvold
- Rating
- R (United States)
- Running Time
- 98 minutes
- Release Date
- March 2nd, 2021
Overall Score
Rating Summary
This will be one of many reviews during this year’s Sundance Film Festival, to keep up with our latest coverage, click here.
2019’s Portrait of a Lady on Fire opened up the floodgates of sorts when it comes to period LGBT love stories with many films paling in comparison to the former’s impact such as 2020’s divisive Ammonite (which I loved) and now The World to Come, a film that originally premiered at last September’s Venice Film Festival. Just like the former, this film boasts an impressive cast which is sure to draw some viewers but unfortunately, the film only keeps them at arms length which was disappointing as a particular storytelling choice creates an insurmountable disconnect with the viewer. When combined with a slow pace, it doesn’t inspire much in the way of confidence. Despite some quality production design, cinematography, and a great score, the film will ultimately succeed or fail based on the viewer’s ability to connect with the story.
The story was told from the perspective of Abigail (Waterston) and her many journal entries as she recounts the upcoming year. This over-narration, bordering on over-exposition, made it difficult to connect with Abigail or any of the other characters on an emotional level as the film seems to tell audiences how to feel instead of letting them figure it out themselves. Nevertheless, the Abigail that lived with her husband Dyer (Affleck) was much different than the one who wrote those journal entries. There was clearly a void in her life but things would change once Tallie (Kirby) and her husband Finney (Abbott) showed up. Suffice it to say that both wives found each other at a perfect time as the two struck up a relationship that would get them through the times though would they survive and what would it look like by the end?
However, the jury is still out on whether most audiences will care by the end. Nevertheless, the great performances from Waterston and Kirby as Abigail and Tallie make The World to Come still worth the watch.
still courtesy of Sundance
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The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.
