Diane Keaton stars in a poorly written comedy film with no comedy. The plot doesn’t make sense, and everything else is boring. Mack & Rita has an interesting premise, but sadly, that could not save this dooming film.
The director was Katie Aselton. This was her third film, which would come as a shock considering how bad the film turned out to be. Madeline Walter and Paul Welsh were the screenwriters of the script. Therefore the two are also to blame at this flat story.
It starts with Mack (Elizabeth Lail), who feels like she doesn’t fit in. She’s an introverted woman who feigns to be different from herself so that she can fit in. She shares a lot of interests with her grandma, which leads her to believe and want herself to become an old woman. She must navigate this new life by becoming Rita (Dianne Keaton). An alter ego she adopts to live her everyday life without people questioning the whereabouts of her younger self.
The dialogue paints Mack/Rita as a whiny protagonist. Mack claims that she conforms to society, but in the first twenty minutes, she makes it quite known that she doesn’t like to party and prefers to lounge around and rest. Her best friend, Carla (Taylour Page), knows who her friend was all along, so it’s not like Mack woke up as Rita and was an entirely different person. There was never a struggle in the friendship because of who Mack really was, which gives struggle against the conflict. She was already herself around her loved ones, with only minor things that were kept hidden. It’s not believable enough that she felt trapped. Instead, it feels more selfish. The subplot of the movie is Carla’s wedding. In every festivity, Mack has either given an excuse to skip out on a celebration or complains.
The central theme of this film is “be yourself.” It’s a straightforward story, but the main character isn’t likable as Mack, and when she evolves into Rita, it becomes too cartoonish to take seriously. When it comes to making a film with a clear message, there are two ways to do it. Show vs. Tell. A lot of Mack & Rita tells. The movie informs us Rita is different from Mack when they should have shown us where Mack was uncomfortable in different environments. Instead, it simply gives us two incidents of her problem when it should be shown more to the viewer so they can feel sympathy for Mack. A better way would show a clear, concise montage. Instead, viewers may see Mack as a spoiled, whiny, privileged character.
Mack’s best friend, Carla, is sweet, compassionate, and an understanding side character, so it still doesn’t make sense that Mack doesn’t feel like she doesn’t belong. In fact, Mack isn’t a good friend to Carla at all. It forces a narrative that doesn’t work. The first instant is when Mack wants to skip out on a Bad Bunny concert so she can just lay down. You would think a character who has difficulty sticking up for herself wouldn’t be able to say no, right? Wrong! Mack ditches Carla and the other bridesmaids so she can relax at a past-life Regression pop-up. Granted, this is where the conflict is introduced, but it doesn’t match Mack’s characterization of leaving her best friend during a bridesmaid trip.
When it comes to comedy, writers can’t help but incorporate romance. In this film, Mack’s neighbor, Jack (Dustin Milligan), is the romantic interest. There are some charming parts between Rita and Jack, but Jack doesn’t tell Rita why he finds her so attractive until their last meeting. The romance between Rita and Jack is forgettable. It ties in with the current theme, but it’s given way too late in the story. If the writers wanted a love confession, it should have been more theatrical. When it comes to the main character aging in films such as Big (1988), 13 Going 30 (2004), and Freaky Friday (2003), love takes the viewers on a journey through clear messages and lessons provided by good writing. Mack & Rita fall short in this department.
Diane Keaton did the best she could, but much of her performance was less funny and more cringe-worthy. Rita was not entertaining enough for people to love her on social media, yet she became a famous influencer. Rita just posts selfies of herself, and boom– she’s famous. It’s a failed attempt at the recurring theme of being yourself. The audience is told she is becoming popular on Instagram rather than showing us more interesting clips of herself on the internet or maybe a silly photo she posted.
Rating: 1/5
This movie is in the pile of things that couldn’t happen in real life, so it must be fascinating. No. That’s not the case. Mack & Rita is not funny whatsoever, and as the viewer, you will not laugh at anything. Comedy is subjective, just like any other genre in the film industry. But there isn’t a shimmer of hope or likability of the main character for the audience to find joy.
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