HERE TRAILER 1
Robert Zemeckis tells a century-spanning tale all from the same spot. This is the 1st trailer for Here.
The trailer opens on a pleasant small-town house where Richard (Tom Hanks) introduces girlfriend Margaret (Robin Wright) to his family.
As the camera’s POV never changes, time is rewound to the inception of the universe. We see flashes of primitive society, American colonialism, and the building of the house seen in the trailer’s first frames as we speed through the time all from the same physical spot.
Eventually, we arrive at present-day, seeing the gentle maturing of Richard and Margaret’s family through the years. The trailer ends on the now-elderly couple returning to the remodeled house, remarking, “This was our house. We lived here,”.
Gimmicks in filmmaking are a double-edged sword. They provide a great talking point (increasingly needed in today’s saturated media landscape), but risk distracting viewers from the story rather than enhancing it. The 1st trailer for Here leans more towards the former.
While Hanks and Wright’s performances pack an emotional wallop, and the present-day narrative’s slow progression of time actually works with the film’s gimmick, all the extraneous moments detailing history feel unnecessary. Despite making some interesting visuals, it forces the film to feel more akin to a museum demo about America’s history.
While director Zemeckis may have been aiming to sell the pointlessness of a single couple’s lives in the vastness of the universe, he may have done so a little too well. Right now, I’m finding it hard to get invested in the characters’ journey because I’m too busy focusing on everything else. However, Zemeckis has proven himself a master in filmmaking, and my hopes are high that if anyone can transcend this gimmick and create an emotionally moving story, it’s him.
Directed by Robert Zemeckis, Here will release theatrically in the US on November 15, 2024. The movie stars Tom Hanks and Robin Wright.
Does content like this matter to you?
Become a Member and support film journalism. Unlock access to all of Film Inquiry`s great articles. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about cinema - get access to our private members Network, give back to independent filmmakers, and more.
