“What is your ‘why?’” advertising genius Howard Inlet (Will Smith ) asks a room of employees in the agency he helped build from the ground up with the signature Will Smith charm.
The opening scene of “Collateral Beauty” will have the audience as ready to embark on a self-discovery mission which results in a purpose-driven life as the group hanging onto every word of their professional guru.
Love, time and death are what he resolves as the motivation for all things in a motivational speech that would make Oprah Winfrey or Les Brown jealous.
With this exchange, director David Frankel created a moment so compelling and authentic that it lingers with the viewer as they eagerly await what they know will be an emotional rollercoaster, but well worth the ride.
Unfortunately, the film never answers the question it initially poses for the viewer. Thanks to a convoluted storyline and thoughtlessly woven themes that are overwhelmingly confusing, the “why” of “Collateral Beauty” never materializes.
It is understood that Inlet’s presence in the film pierces the heart. After suffering the most unthinkable family tragedy, he can’t seem to wade his way out of crippling sadness and despair. As a result, the company he founded with friends is on the edge of collapse.
The group resorts to drastic means as they conspire to force Inlet into confronting his new reality – and into the swing of facing the obstacles the agency has to grapple with because he all but checked out of life.
“Collateral Beauty” loses focus early on and never recovers because the film goes overboard with plot twists and implications of a supernatural sidebar.
The idea is to keep the viewer on the edge of the seat and save them from the “grief to glory” cliché. Inlet understandably comes undone, but the “why” of him snapping out of it is as outlandish as it is unclear.
The intervention master plan that leads to the dramatic climax borders on senseless.
“Collateral Beauty” implies that supernatural forces have a hand in the process, but the film never finds a way to seamlessly incorporate or explain their existence. Side plots are introduced and carelessly abandoned by way of the challenges of supporting characters without peeling back the layers or offering any substantive context.
It’s as if the minds behind “Collateral Beauty” had a grand idea to weave all of the best parts of the classic holiday films together for a new generation, but were too far along to abandon ship once they realized they bit off more than they could chew.
Though riddled with shortcomings, a handful of compelling performances give “Collateral Beauty” a certain level of charm.
Watching Will Smith unravel in his portrayal of Inlet after seeing a snapshot of himself living his best life at the start of the film leaves a lasting impression.
Smith’s performance is only eclipsed by veteran actress Helen Mirren. She is as breathtaking onscreen as always while embodying an actress who has stumbled upon the role of a lifetime by way of Inlet’s intervention.
And rising star Jacob Latimore seems to be grooming himself to follow a similar path as Smith with a full-time transition from music to film. The young singer-turned-actor displays plenty of promise with his small but impactful presence.
Naomie Harris gives a noteworthy performance as well with her portrayal of a mother on the other side of grief with a vested interest in leading Smith’s character to the light at the end of his tunnel of pain.
“Collateral Beauty” opens in theatres nationwide on Friday, December 16. The film is rated PG-13 with a running time of 94 minutes.
