Definitely A Long Way Down

Life sure is tough. And maybe, people will always stumble upon things that would make them want to stop living. But (hopefully) they will also find enough reasons to keep going. Sadly, this film will make you think otherwise.

A Long Way Down (2014)
A film by Pascal Chaumeil

Based on a 2005 novel of the same name by Nick Hornby, four different people planning to commit suicide coincidentally meet on New Year's Eve; building an unlikely friendship to help each other sort out their lives.

The film's narrative was really interesting. I did have a few good laughs. Each of the characters were remarkable, having their own sense of uniqueness, and (as a matter of fact) were portrayed by captivating actors (particularly enjoyed the performance of Imogen Poots). Unfortunately, it was not enough to engage the viewers for 96 minutes. The sub-plots seem to have failed to make genuine connections. Despite it dealing with sensitive issues of suicide, and life in general, it was dull, and predictable with very little moments to hold onto. I felt like it lacked the poignancy to truly compel empathy from the audience (having been swooned by the film An Education, I was really expecting more feels for this movie). On a lighter note, the cinematography and the music were lovely.

PS: I loved the novel.