Greetings,
Is it considered a coming of age story if members of three generations of a family are kinda doing that at the same time? Because I think that's what happens in this movie. And all things considered, I guess it can be called a family film. So, let's talk about Peace, Love & Misunderstanding.
Peace, Love & Misunderstanding is a 2012 film about a lawyer, Diane, played by Catherine Keener, who is divorced from her husband, Mark, played by Kyle MacLachlan. She must have heard about that Showgirls thing. Anyway, she decides to leave Manhattan with her two kids, Zoe and Jake, played by Elizabeth Olsen and Nat Wolff, respectively. They go upstate to Woodstock, where Diane's mother, Grace, lives. Grace is played by Jane Fonda and she is a total hippie. Yes, a postmodern hippie living in Woodstock, where, according to this film, 90% of the town hasn't changed since 1969. I'll let you calm down from that shock. Good? Okay, let's move on.
As Diane is a woman who is a bit uptight and Grace can be easily called a free spirit, they tend to clash a bit and always have, and so much of the plot centers around the tension between them. But it's okay though, because we have quite a bit of romance going on in this film as well. Pretty much every family member gets close to a potential S.O. here. Zoe hesitantly finds herself attracted to a young butcher, Cole, played by Chace Crawford, despite the fact that they don't always get along. Cole is enamored with a young girl who works at a local coffee shop, Tara, played by Marissa O'Donnell. And even stuffy Diane catches the eye of a handsome local named Jude, played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and maybe starts to think that loosening up might not be so bad. But with all these feelings and emotions running rampant, the real question is will the decades long estrangement of the family come to an end and allow them to move forward with each other.
So, the best word I can use to describe this film is "easy". You can just sit back and relax and watch it, and nothing is really going to get your heart rate up too high. Now, whether that's good or bad is going to depend on the viewer and their taste or mood. Personally, I kind of enjoyed this movie. It's full of people who I like and it's so laid back that it is something I can watch when I am also wanting to feel laid back. And a lot of that feeling comes from the lovely atmosphere created by the surroundings of Woodstock. The film makers really captured something there, and I give that aspect a thumbs up. Again, I suppose that whatever can be called positives and negatives exist only based on the audience. If you want something mellow with a decent script and some good acting, especially from the "always a delight" Elizabeth Olsen, then this might be one to add to your list.
Thus, do I recommend this movie? Well, I liked it, so yeah. Seriously, though, it's not breaking any cinematic ground here, but who says that every film has to do that? Some movies are just there when you need them for whatever you happen to need them for. If you want a relaxing night of watching something that might be labeled a "chick flick" but actually goes a bit deeper, I say give this one a chance.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
