The Full Review
The luckiest girl alive perhaps falls into the latter category. An impressive cast, serious subject matter, and a popular narrative tool that thrived—all signs were good. Although, the makers are missing the chance to separate their films from the crowd which is now on the cusp of acceptance. The sad fact is that everything happens because of the nature of the plot.
Luckiest Girl Alive has all the elements of an interesting story with palpable tension and suspense. But this is offset by irony due to the great publicity.
There is a growing number of films set in high school that explore teenage sensitivities in a modern context. Netflix has its own catalog. Although the quality is certainly not consistent, it is quite varied and voluminous. But audiences are more receptive to these stories because they embrace the dark truths of their communities and cultures.
The Luckiest Girl Alive uses protagonist Ani (Kunis) as a key driver to fuel her calls to get her life in order. There's almost an illusion in the first half that Ani is this perfect, super cool girl with the life and body that men and girls can only dream of.
The story is definitely going in a different direction. But when the flashbacks start and Dean is mentioned in the film, it turns around and turns into a movie about how Annie can't move on and her criminals go for nothing. Well, two of them are dead and the third is in a wheelchair, but his beef is with people rejecting his claims and believing someone with better social status and connections.
The tonal shift feels jarring and probably a bit unfair as a viewer considering how the movie actually ends. But in retrospect, it's a really brave decision.
The above may be true if you go into it blindly not knowing that this is going to happen. After this point, Ani definitely loses control and grip on the narrative. His past takes over and it's pretty raw to look at. The way director Mike Barker uses flashbacks and the past is very commendable.
The visceral energy you successfully extract from her makes you concerned and compassionate about Annie's life. Behind this successful boss figure we see the flawless girl. It's a really nice touch. If the movie could keep up the intrigue, Ani losing control wouldn't be the worst thing. The third act completely ruins the experience of watching it.
The emotional outing with Dean and Luke somehow feels empty and out of place. Although we are shown in small parts how Ani deals with the stain in her life, the background is not shown. There is no lack of development in this part of the story which is quite important to engage the audience. This perhaps strikes a softer emotional chord between us and him. But Kunis herself does a great job of backing it up.
Mila Kunis
Mila Kunis, honestly, holds your gaze like glue. His witty interpretation of Ani hits the right spot—the gray area where she still figures out who she is. Seeing The Luckiest Girl Alive as a coming-of-age drama helps give you a better perspective. Kunis portrays herself as someone who is good on the outside but is being eaten away on the inside.
We see his sensibilities and emotions get better at some points, but it's the first one that really inspires. The characterization of other important contemporary topics, such as gun violence and school shootings and the violent rise of trust-fund kids in private schools, is certainly decent, but nothing short of remarkable.
Watching a movie is a mixed bag. While the first part of the film is well structured and makes one want to watch more, the story somehow fails to live up to the expectations of the first half in the second part and collapses.
Her precision and courage in describing the many facets of trauma and, more importantly, her willingness to bury it, because this crime against you has ultimately made you a crime yourself. Kunis delivers a sizzling lead performance, but The Luckiest Girl's greatest strength is also her greatest weakness. It's an important film, but it could have been made a little differently.