Release: Connected

 

Connected

Genre: Drama

Director: Sofia Coppola

Writer: Jacob Jones

Cast: Mackenzie Foy, Jimmy Tatro, Dakota Fanning, Halle Bailey, Ethan Hawke, Rachel Dratch, Ella Bleu Travolta, Chinenye Ezeudu, Jake T. Austin, Aaron Pierre

Budget: $18,000,000

Domestic Box Office: $11,848,004

Foreign Box Office: $6,111,593

Total Profit: -$16,185,555

Reaction: We suspect the R-rating could have hurt the box office on this one, making it harder for younger people to get into the theater to see it. Writer Jacob Jones was having a pretty good season at the box office until the numbers came in for this one. As Meat Loaf sang though, "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad."

"Connected does have some interesting things to say about the current generation's obsession with fame without leaving their various screens and devices. That's about all I found interesting though as the script from Jacob Jones rarely scratches beneath the surface of its concept, instead often settling for easy melodrama." - Dave Manning, Ridgefield Press

"I find myself torn as this presents a mixed bag. It oscillates between engaging storytelling and overdone melodrama, particularly in the final act. This shift towards melodrama detracts from the intended emotional impact, making it feel somewhat formulaic. However, the exploration of social media stardom and its consequences is intriguing. Mackenzie Foy shines despite limited material, while Rachel Dratch stands out with her unexpected character development, injecting a burst of energy that ultimately saves it from monotony." - Clark Davis, JoBlo.com

"Maybe this film will appeal to the younger Twitch and Tiktok loving generation, but for someone just a generation or two ahead of them I barely understood what was going on in the world of this one. When I did try to tune out the details I didn't understand and focus on the characters and their journey and interactions, all that was left was a story filled with vapid, superficial characters. Writer Jacob Jones tries to turn things around in the end with the lessens Charlotte learned over the story, but comes across as preachy like something from an Afterschool Special." - Cooper Wilson, The Earl Hays Press

Rated R for language and thematic material