★★
A woman named Kit receives a mysterious invitation that would fulfill her childhood dreams.
Classification: PG
Brie Larson’s directorial debut centres around her performance about a young woman, Kit struggling to retain her creative spirit after being ejected from art school. As she begins her new corporate career complete with cubicle and coffee, Kit receives a mysterious invitation to an even more enigmatic location. The Store, run by an eccentric salesman (Samuel L. Jackson) and sells only one thing and that thing happens to be Kit’s childhood dream; owning a unicorn.
Unicorn Store is about an adult learning how to grow up, Larson’s performance as Kit is an individual desperate not to lose her creative spirit. Kit’s art style is manic, bright colours and glitter, every fibre of her being is put into her art but the results are so chaotic and for many off-putting. Larson’s performance also balances the fine line of childish and sympathetic, the character has moments of selfishness, anger and fear allowing her to be more than just a walking glitter and paint explosion. Kit feels grounded thanks to Larson’s performance and directing, her struggle is one that is easy to relate to, this is someone who doesn’t want to let go of the things that make her happy, that imagination that is bursting from her and working towards the unicorn is her only way to keep that part of her.
Larson isn’t the only standout with performances from Bradley Whitford and Joan Cusack as Kit’s parents being a highlight both comedic and dramatic. The other surprise is Mamoudou Athie as Virgil, a hardware store Kit befriends when she asks him to build a stable for her unicorn. Larson plays off well the whole cast and shows just how Kit priorities differ from the rest of the adults in the film. She’s quirky, childlike and it’s endearing, her parents want what’s best for her and Virgil doesn’t want her to get hurt, they just want Kit to realise that too but her focus is on that achieving her unicorn filled dreams.
The performances are the highlights but unfortunately, the actual film doesn’t hold up as well, the story and its narrative developments are not very satisfying. For a film about a woman bursting with creativity it is strange not to see more of that side behind the camera, Larson’s directing has potential especially in character dynamics but the visual elements of Unicorn Store don’t stand out. Unicorn Store’s fantastical elements are also not realised to the fullest, it is easy for an audience to believe that Kit is just gullible and Samuel L. Jackson is taking advantage of her selfish reasons and that possibility is a source of conflict in the film. However, the script doesn’t do enough to allow that debate of what’s real to happen with the audience, either it’s Kit’s wide-eyed enthusiasm or cold harsh reality, no in-between.
The flaws within Unicorn Store makes this an arduous viewing, it is a shame to see a film not function as well as it could especially when there are positive elements within it. Older audiences may be turned off by the millennial attitudes Larson’s character portrays but Kit’s journey is one I think many can connect with. However a strong lead performance isn’t enough to elevate a weak script and mundane filmmaking, this just does not have enough to keep audiences engaged.
Director: #BrieLarson
Release Date: April 5th 2019
Available exclusively on Netflix.
Trailer:
Written review copyright ©CoreyBullochReviews
Images and Synopsis from the Internet Movie Database
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