Peneflix MOVIE REVIEWS BY PENEFLIX
With his career’s progression Ethan Hawke’s scruffy, unwashed, unkempt persona has lost its repugnance and become cultish in its appeal. Hawke’s performance in “Juliet, Naked” is a resounding testament of an actor’s aptitude to actually become, inhabit the soul of his character; “Tucker Crowe”, a washed up American rock singer, with some renown, from the 90’s; lionized by “Duncan” (naïvely natural Chris O’Dowd), in a small English town, on his daily blog; Hawke’s self-deprecating, unabashed, disarming characterization is dazzling. But the film’s true magnetism belongs to Rose Byrne; “Annie”, approaching forty, proprietor of a family operated museum, living with “Duncan”, her choices are straight-jacketed by her boundaries; she supports his Tucker Crowe obsession until an unfinished demo “Juliet, Naked” arrives; she finds it unsatisfying and posts her negativity on Duncan’s site, igniting his ire and a positive response from a resurrected Tucker. Thus commences a digital, poetic relationship, resulting in a hilarious first encounter.
“Juliet, Naked” directed by Jesse Peretz is charmingly insightful, warmly wonderful in its development; its enchantment lies in one’s capacity to sever the “ties that bind”, take a leap of faith, rise from the chrysalis and fly into a life, fully realized.
FOUR STARS!!!!
Peneflix
