MEDIA: Film Review –
AUGUST 28, 2019 – Between the directorial overdoing of Sam Taylor-Johnson — the film is a husband-and-wife operation — and the dubious nature of the source material, unreality pervades. The on-screen Taylor-Johnson scowls and pouts while James is told his drug intake would have killed a lesser man, reminded that he is wanted in three states and, as you might expect, becomes the love interest of a fellow addict he will later try to save from herself. Squint and it might almost pass for meta-commentary, poking fun at the scale of Frey’s tall stories. Or not. An opening title card coyly quotes Mark Twain: “I’ve lived through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened.” As the credits roll two fanciful hours later, you will know the feeling.
