Review
The year is 2016 and the movie The Late Bloomer, a drama intertwined with the comedy genre, made its premiere. The movie focuses on the main character, Peter Newmans, a sophisticated therapist in his thirties, who happens to be a great public speaker. A therapist by profession, Peter spends his time and energy advising emotionally troubled individuals, evident in the rosy sales figure of his bestseller book on the subject. Mr. Newmans, however, is a complex character with a dormant medical condition that has stunted his emotional and physical growth.
While on a rather peculiar adventure, Peter meets with an unfortunate accident and is sent to the hospital. The doctor’s examination, in this case, does him a favor, revealing a slow growing and non malignant tumor “sitting” on the nexus of his growth and development. The removal of the tumor, Peter experiences not just one, but several emotional and physical transformations.
With the intention of regaining his health, Peter is sent to stay with his parents. For the viewer, the initial state of life appears to be a rather dull one. With time however, a sudden outburst of various new and rather convoluted thoughts, ideas and behaviors take shape, something that is baffling not just to the character, but the viewer as well. Mr. Newmans not only changes his perception of the world, but also, his interactions with different people.
Of late, Peter has kept deep ties with the neighbor Michelle who is known to be kind and is, like him, in a period of change. He has always admired Michelle from a distance and her never seeming to have the courage to tell her only adds to his admiration for her. Peter, in his change, begins to behave in ways that are harmful, and that started with the loose control of civility and worsened as his relationships, including the one he had with his closest friends and Michelle, began to deteriorate.
Peter begins to lose sight of the relationships he once had because as he became increasingly frantic it became easier to lose almost everything including his job. Everything appeared to be in his hands untill he started treating broken things with care. Working through the savaged pieces painstakingly made Peter understand that in order to grow one has to shift from the way in which growth is mentally or physically envisioned. Empathy for what is and the ability to reflect on past actions are equally important skills.
Peter is no longer a boy, for he has transcended to a man. He now not only has the ability to help others professionally he himself has experienced change deep and wide within. Replacing on what he and Michelle had he began a novel way of thinking for himself. That phase of transition is one where he has fortified change with wisdom and a sense of optimism that is firmly planted.
Cast & Crew
Johnny Simmons brings to life the character Peter Newmans with sincerity and detail. He portrays the humorous and perplexing aspects of disorienting changes with profound emotional sensitivity.
Brittany Snow steps into the role of Peter’s neighbor and childhood companion Michelle. Her character adds an element of compassion, calm, and resilience to the narrative.
Peter’s parents, Brenda and James, portrayed by Maria Bello and J.K. Simmons, epitomize unconditional love and support. Their characters provide Peter with a sense of stability and direction amidst the chaos of his life.
As Peter’s boss, Jane Lynch takes on the role of Caroline. She balances the dual role of Peter’s professional guide and the constant reminder of the corporate behaviors that he is expected to observe.
Peter’s close circle of friends is played by Beck Bennett, Kumail Nanjiani, and Paul Wesley. They provide insightful levity to Peter’s stressful situations.
The director of the film is Kevin Pollak, recognized for his acting and comedy. This is his first film as a director. The screenplay is an adaptation of real events, inspired by a memoir of a man with a similar medical condition.
Styles and Communications
- Developing and Maturing on One’s Own Schedule.
One of the major themes within the film is the fact that each individual grows and develops at their own pace. The scenario with Peter might be different, but his emotions of confusion, frustration, and discovery are something a vast majority of people go through.
- Importance of the Ability to Wait.
Although Peter’s relatives and friends are not perfect people, a lot of them portray a significant degree of patience and understanding towards him during is transformation. The film emphasizes that one should be present for people, regardless of the fact that they are behaving strangely or experiencing difficult changes.
- The Importance of Responsibility.
Irresponsibility and Peter are an inseparable part of each other. However, in this part, the film emphasizes the value of facing one’s mistakes, accepting the consequences, and learning to take responsibility.
- Bonding and Relationship.
One of the strongest messages in the film is about the value of real friendship. Peter’s companions do not leave him during difficult times, and this is precisely the attitude that helps him to find his real self.
- Personal Identity and Self-acceptance
Peter is compelled to live with certain facets of his personality concealed or unexamined. He begins to realize that to enjoy his inwardly constructed persona is to accept himself. This is different from what others perceive him to be.
Critical Reception
The Late Bloomer is a film that critics do not necessarily praise. While others applauded the attempts made to spin a story of humor combined with personal growth and insight and the original concept of the story, the efforts of the cast members, especially Johnny Simmons, J. K. Simmons, and Brittany Snow, were put down stating that the cast members failed to perform with charm and sincerity.
The criticism that the film attempts to tackle and intertwine serious issues with mental humor is a bit farfetched if not absurd. Laughter inducing moments come across as too much and below an expected standard and thus lose the essence of what the heart is trying to convey. Nevertheless, the script is taken to be the pillar of good intentions that is poorly constructed.
The movie as a whole failed to leave an indelible mark in the award circles and even box office, there is a certain target audience that appreciated the film for emotional growth and second chances.
Strengths of the Film
Original Storyline: The idea of personal development, emotional as well as physical, usually happens to be part of the concept of a film. This development however is on a delay or period of stagnation.
Positive Message: The film is positive and makes one learn about and appreciate change and more importantly, gives self-love no matter the time changes occur.
Strong Cast: The story is enriched by the presence of very successful and skilled performers.
Humor with Heart: While not everyone will appreciate some of the comedy, a major portion of the laughter comes from situations of real awkwardness and the various stages of emotional maturity, thus giving it a very realistic and relatable tone.
Weaknesses of the Film
Inconsistent Tone: The film, at times, goes too quickly from laughter to emotional scenes. This makes it hard to remain invested in the story on an emotional level.
Underdeveloped Characters: A few secondary characters are interesting in their own right, but do not have enough screen time to truly shine.
Predictability: A substantial portion of the plot adheres to the principles of very basic romantic comedies. This will make the film too predictable and safe for a lot of viewers.
Conclusion
The Late Bloomer is striking in its originality and pathos, using comedy to capture the difficult experience of coming of age, especially when one does so belatedly. It promotes self acceptance and acceptance of others which does not conform to self agreed or societal mores. These contradictory feelings the audience is left with is exactly how the audience would like to feel. The film is not flawless, yet its harmonized acting, innovative idea, and optimistic principles would lead one to think otherwise.
If you feel that you are left behind in life and have the chance to experience The Late Bloomer, prepare to relish in the comical take on intricately woven connections. Transfiguration is the central theme where profound metamorphosis is anticipated, yet it is the absence of it that stuns the audience into silence. The Late Bloomer is the kind of film that elicits contemplation long after.
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