Man. I did not expect Bleecker Street to be one of the best independent companies working today after all of the underwhelming films A24 released recently this year (I’m talking to you, “The Souvenir”).
“The Tomorrow Man” greatly represents this statement making it out to be one of the more memorable romantic comedies in recent memory where we ask the rhetorical question, “Is the world going to end?”.
Ed Hemsler (played by John Lithgow) plays a grandfather whom is preparing for the world to end by hoarding. He encounters a certain woman named Ronnie (played by Blythe Danner) who also follows Hemsler’s footsteps, but instead, she shops for stuff she will never utilize.
Ed and Ronnie both start to develop a romantic relationship together within their qualities. Ed is a very intelligent and somewhat delirious person while Ronnie is more shy and comforting towards Ed.
Meanwhile, Ed is still worried that he might encounter his death like other humans. That is why we all come to realize that Ed is an ordinary person by him having a unique sheltering place with a one of a kind door knob that you have to stick like glue.
It is very depressing that we see companies like Illumination and Sony succeed, yet we see such an under-appreciated company like Bleecker Street suffer through box-office bombs like “Teen Spirit” that absolutely work. We all know that “The Tomorrow Man” will suffer the same, right kids? Yep.
Like I said in my tweet, this film is extremely unique and kind of a breath of fresh air. It reminded me of the originality of “Stranger than Fiction” and the romantic chemistry of “When Harry Met Sally”.
Then again, the fact that “The Tomorrow Man” has a polarizing reception on Rotten Tomatoes like “The Beach Bum” is very misunderstood.
Noble Jones does such a striking directorial debut stating why people are worried for the end of the world and how they can set things right for themselves.
Not to even joke, I was absolutely glued throughout the movie where I was interested to see what was going to occur next in the relationship of Ed and Ronnie. That is very rare to say for a romantic comedy these days. Maybe it can exceed even more than last year’s “Crazy Rich Asians”.
John Lithgow should absolutely gain more attention for his role as Ed Hemsley. His role is a textbook definition of a character study. You can understand his flaws as a human being as well as his motivation. Ed is a perfect example of a man which he believes the lowest stakes to increase even higher.
The way he talks through a television reporter was just mesmerizing.
Blythe Danner plays an amazing love interest as Ronnie. Like in “I’ll See You in My Dreams” with Sam Elliott, her personality is incredibly charming and sweet towards John Lithgow where she feels like a friend. Kind of take notes, Honor Swinton Byrne. That is how you do a love interest.
Their chemistry together is again a breath of fresh air where I kind of want to see more of them.
“The Tomorrow Man” also is a rare breed of cinema that barely exists in this generation. It feels very complex and has the right to stand on its own. People never get these kinds of movies as the months go by like “Wonderstruck” or even the ever-so-radical “Madeline’s Madeline”.
I was literally smiling throughout the entire movie where it truly is a breath of fresh air.
It is also depressing too that this film will likely last in your local mainstream theater for only just one week. All I have to say is that please go see “The Tomorrow Man” for your will. Please let Noble Jones direct more movies and for Blythe Danner to star in more romantic comedies than Diane Keaton.
Not to say that I didn’t hate “Poms”.
Grade: 9/10
