Girl meets movie star in ‘Finding You,’ a surprisingly unaffected Y.A. love story – Washington Post
Anthony Courtney
Roadside Sights
Ranking:
(2.5 stars)
Based mostly on “There You’ll Discover Me,” a Christian Y.A. novel a couple of school woman therapeutic from emotional wounds (whereas additionally falling in love), the movie “Discovering You” would appear, by advantage of the title change alone, to have shifted its thematic focus barely. The unique wording suggests a journey of self-discovery; the latter, a extra simple voyage of romance on the metaphorical Love Boat.
And that’s borne out on this story of fluttering younger emotions, whose theme of religion is — to the extent that it’s there in any respect — little greater than a bay leaf flavoring the stew, however eliminated earlier than serving: You may simply style it, nevertheless it’s probably not there.
Finley Sinclair (Rose Reid) is an 18-year-old American school pupil and aspiring violinist who, after getting rejected from an audition for a prestigious music academy, turns to a semester overseas in Eire, the place she hopes to good her fiddling expertise whereas staying with family within the small city the place her deceased brother as soon as studied. Upon arrival, Finley discovers a sketchbook that bro left behind, with a drawing of a grave marker: a damaged Celtic cross, subsequent to her scribbled identify. What does it imply, and the place is that this cross? If the carving bears a message for her, such statuary exists in each cemetery in Eire. The query hangs over the plot like a cloud.
It’s not the one one.
Anthony Courtney
Roadside Sights
From left: Vanessa Redgrave, Rose Reid and Jedidiah Goodacre in “Discovering You.”
On the flight over, Finley occurs to sit down subsequent to Beckett Rush (Jedidiah Goodacre), a hunky if barely smug film star making one more one in every of his well-liked however pulpy fantasy flicks within the very city the place Finley is staying — whereas coincidentally renting a room in her family’ bed-and-breakfast. Be nonetheless, Finley’s coronary heart! “It could by no means work,” she thinks, bringing herself again right down to earth.
Or would it not?
Finley takes on the function of Beckett’s casual assistant, serving to him to run strains and discover his character, and bettering his performing expertise within the course of by giving him motive to truly consider the mushy discuss his character spouts to his co-star, Taylor Risdale (Katherine McNamara), an airhead actress with whom he has a shallow, on-again-off-again romance in the actual world as nicely. In the meantime Finley strikes up a friendship with an aged nursing-home resident (Vanessa Redgrave) who’s estranged from her sister (Helen Roche).
Will Finley assist the aged siblings reconcile earlier than it’s too late? Will she ever discover that cross and no matter message it holds? Will she be touched with the reward of true musicianship — courtesy of a homeless, drunk string virtuoso (Patrick Bergin)? And, most significantly, will she in the end discover real love with Beckett, at the same time as she teaches him to comply with his personal bliss (that means: pursue higher scripts and at last dump Taylor as soon as and for all)?
Uhhh . . . has it actually been that lengthy because you’ve been to the films?
There are not any actual surprises right here, besides possibly one. It could by no means work, Finley warns us, and it appears she may as nicely be speaking about this cornball film. However due to one thing ineffable — Redgrave, leprechauns, moondust, or possibly simply understated performances from two interesting protagonists — “Discovering You” kinda, sorta does.
PG. At space theaters. Accommodates some robust language and mature thematic components. 115 minutes.
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