I made it to the end without getting bored, but I don’t feel like watching it again. There’s something in the storytelling that never fully grabs you, as if the script wants to be profound but doesn’t really find that depth. The emotional core is there, and the father-daughter relationship has potential, but the solemn tone keeps you at a distance instead of pulling you in. The best part is Dylan Penn. She has a quiet honesty that carries the film without needing big dramatic gestures. Her performance feels lived-in and sincere. Sean Penn, meanwhile, seems more focused on the overall mood than on emotional nuance. His acting sometimes goes over the top, as if he wants to underline the character’s torment, and that imbalance affects the whole movie. The family drama occasionally works, but the script keeps falling into familiar beats: escapes, unresolved guilt, promises, and sudden reconciliations. It’s not just predictable; it’s emotionally uneven. Some scenes that should feel intimate or grounded end up looking too staged, weighed down by the film’s solemn visual style. One thing that truly stands out is the music. Eddie Vedder’s songs add a melancholy and sincerity that elevate many scenes. Sometimes the soundtrack expresses more emotion than the images, which already tells you something about the film’s weaknesses. Without the music, the film would feel noticeably flatter. Overall, there’s intention, sincerity, and emotional moments that briefly work, and Dylan Penn shows real promise. But the film never becomes memorable. The real story deserved a clearer tone and a less self-conscious approach. There are good fragments, but they’re not enough.

Like a book someone buys you as a gift but it's not at all your style. I'm getting a little tired of these autobiographical novels being made into lackluster based-on-a-true-story films where a narrator reads the text to you because the prose is more interesting than the action. Sean Penn does a decent job acting and directing here, though I still say flashforwards are nothing more than built-in spoilers. You want to know the whole best thing about this movie? It was absolutely the music. A soundtrack provided by Cat Power, Glen Hansard and Eddie Vedder!? Are you kidding me!? Check it out on Spotify! 🔥😍💯

cool gig for the nepo babies

The story is all over the place but the acting from Penn (both of them) elevates this intriguing family drama. The ending is particularly powerful.

i thought it was really good better than expected. i m not even a sean penn fan but this one looled interesting and was. of course josh brolin and kathryn winnick i really like. brolin had small part. the movie was good story