Welcome back for another edition of A Second Look with Jeff Stockton! In this segment I will take a "second look" at a past LRF release with a fresh set of eyes.
When Sunny Days premiered 19 seasons ago, I called it “an uneventful and fairly predictable affair,” and frankly, that sentiment still holds. While I now better appreciate Bennett Miller’s polished direction and the film’s moody atmosphere - especially in its quieter moments of reflection - it remains a frustratingly safe take on pro wrestling. The script vaguely hints at addiction, manipulation, and backstage toxicity, but often pulls back just when things are about to get interesting. Sunny’s fall from grace is reduced to a slow montage, and the film seems unwilling to confront the ugliest truths of her story or the industry that enabled them. Halston Sage brings a capable earnestness to the lead role, but never captures the volatile magnetism or internal contradiction that made Tammy Lynn Sytch such a polarizing figure. Elsewhere, the casting veers into stunt territory - Bradley Cooper as Vince McMahon and Jack Black as Tom Prichard feel more like SNL sketches than real performances. In the end, Sunny Days wants to be a cautionary tale but lacks the guts to fully explore the damage behind the glitter.
Original Grade: C-
New Grade: C
Sunny Days Link: https://lrfdatabase.weebly.com/sunny-days.html
No comments:
Post a Comment