[FILM REVIEW] YOU HURT MY FEELINGS Review (2023)

July 2, 2023July 2, 2023 Dave Alex First, Amber tamblyn, Arian Moayaed, Bryan Reynoso, Central Coast Radio, Clara Wong, Claudia Robinson, David Cross, David Griffiths, Deniz Akdeniz, Doug Moe, Erica Matlin, Jeannie Berlin, Josh Pais, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Julian Leong, Karolena Theresa, Kelsey Carthew, Kenneth Tigar, LaTanya Richardson jackson, Lynnsey Lewis, Michaela Watkins, Nicole Holofcener, Owen Teague, Phyllis Gordon, Rebecca Henderson, Sarah Steele, Spike Einbinder, Sue Jean Kim, Sunita Mani, The Popcorn Conspiracy Radio Show, Tobias Menzies, Trey Santiago-Hudson, Walter Brandes, You Hurt My Feelings, Zach Cherry

Summary: A novelist’s longstanding marriage is suddenly upended when she overhears her husband giving his honest reaction to her latest book.

Year: 2023

Cinema Release Dates: 15th June 2023 (Australia), TBA (Thailand), TBA (UK), 26th May 2023 (USA)

VOD Release Dates: TBA

Country: USA

Director: Nicole Holofcener

Screenwriter: Nicole Holofcener

Cast: Deniz Akdeniz (Vince), Jeannie Berlin (Georgia), Walter Brandes (Chris), Kelsey Carthew (Zoe), David Cross (Jonathan), Zach Cherry (Jim), Spike Einbinder (April), Phyllis Gordon (Eileen), Rebecca Henderson (Alice), LaTanya Richardson Jackson (Sylvia), Sue Jean Kim (Bea), Julian Leong (Steve), Lynnsey Lewis (Romy), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Beth), Sunita Mani (Dr. Allen), Erica Matlin (Ivy), Tobias Menzies (Don), Arian Moayed (Mark), Doug Moe (Hal), Josh Pais (Josh Pais), Bryan Reynoso (Jared), Claudia Robinson (Esther), Trey Santiago-Hudson (Billy), Sarah Steele (Frankie), Amber Tamblyn (Carolyn), Owen Teague (Eliot), Karolena Theresa (Marielle), Kenneth Tigar (Ed), Michaela Watkins (Sarah) , Clara Wong (Ali)

Running Time: 93 mins

Classification: MA15+ (Australia), TBC (Thailand), 15 (UK), R (USA)

YOU HURT MY FEELINGS REVIEWS

Dave Griffiths’ You Hurt My Feelings Review

David’s rating Out Of 5

Alex First’s You Hurt My Feelings Review

Is it okay to lie if you are trying to protect a loved one? That is the question at the heart of the comedic drama You Hurt My Feelings.

Beth (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and Don (Tobias Menzies) are a ridiculously loved up middle aged couple.

Beth is the author of a moderately successful memoir, struggling to find a publisher for her first novel. She also teaches creative writing.

Don is a psychologist, who is forever hearing others’ issues, but isn’t always respected by those who seek his guidance.

The pair has a 23-year-old son, Eliot (Owen Teague), who – much to his mother’s chagrin – manages a shop that sells marijuana.

Eliot is writing his first play, which is taking a long time to finish.

Also in the equation is Beth’s interior designer sister Carolyn (Amber Tamblyn) and her actor husband Jonathan (Davis Cross).

Beth isn’t feeling fulfilled by her job anymore, while for Jonathan securing acting roles and then keeping them has its challenges.

Beth and Carolyn donate their time to sourcing and providing free clothing to the homeless, who don’t always appreciate their efforts.

They also visit their straight shooting, opinionated and quirky mother Georgia (Jeannie Berlin).

There is tension and humour in the film from the get-go, when a warring married couple go hammer and tong in a consultation session with Don.

But, soon enough, that pressure is felt much closer to home, courtesy of an overheard conversation … and that is when the film kicks up a gear.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus reeks of authenticity in You Hurt My Feelings, building her character around her “mothering” and neediness.

Tobias Menzies is largely nonchalant as her measured, “go with the flow” husband.

Owen Teague represents Eliot as a young man of contradictions, dealing with his own angst.

Amber Tamblyn plays Carolyn as the nurturing, peacekeeper.

As her husband, David Cross – like many in this movie – seeks endorsement that he is good enough.

In a smaller role, Jeannie Berlin makes an immediate impact when she appears on screen as the sisters’ no-nonsense mother.

She is gifted some of the best lines in the movie and somehow manages to deliver them with a straight face.

Populated with slice of life, at times somewhat bizarre and even outlandish, conversations, You Hurt My Feelings isn’t consistently laugh aloud funny.

It has been written and is directed by Nicole Holofcener, with whom Louis-Dreyfus worked a decade ago on Enough Said.

Frankly, I was looking for more substance and fewer flat patches.

Seinfeld, which featured Louis-Dreyfus, has been described as a highly successful TV show about nothing. It focused on the minutiae of daily life.

I thought this film had overtures of that, but wasn’t as amusing or engaging.

Apart from the confrontation on the couch at the start, it took a while to take off and as it moved along there were parts that bored me.

While it certainly has its moments, I felt like I was waiting for something more to happen. In essence, You Hurt My Feelings is a relatively gentle family tale set among well-to-do New York privilege.

Alex’s rating Out Of 5

Average Subculture rating Out Of 5

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