Delayed Reaction: Midnight Special

The Pitch: Sort of like a late 70s/early 80s Stephen Spielberg movie.

Last year, I saw the same trailer for this movie repeatedly at my local theater. I think the release got pushed back at some point, because they showed this preview for far too long to have been released as scheduled. No matter how many times I saw the trailer. I had no idea what it was about. (My best guess at the time: It's about people asking questions and turning off their headlights while driving). All the TV spots I saw didn't clarify matters either. I even remember seeing a review or two that didn't answer much. So, on the strength of how much I love Jeff Nichols' other 2016 movie (Loving) I decided to give Midnight Special a try. It turns out, the trailers weren't hiding much. This is a movie that only tells you about 70% of the story. I like when a screenplay holds something back. The feeling that the story isn't limited to what the audience sees is appealing. It's a tricky balance though, because if enough of the story isn't told, it can become frustrating. Midnight Special teeters on that line.

Nichols assembled a strong cast. Michael Shannon gets to play things pretty straight. Normally, if you told me he's in a movie with "aliens", I'd've assumed he was the lead alien. Joel Edgerton and Kirsten Dunst do good work that doesn't particularly stand out. It's nice seeing Adam Driver playing a restrained role. Between Girls and The Force Awakens, I sometimes forget that he can display emotions other than intensity and rage. The kid got to hide behind his glasses and the dark of night a lot, but he was pretty good as well.

Side thought: Did the glimpses of that advanced world look an awful lot like Tomorrowland to anyone else?

Verdict (?): Weakly Recommend