Serena (2014)

"Some loves can never let you go"

Directed by Susanne Bier
Produced by Ben Cosgrove, Mark Cuban, Steve Schwartz, Paula Mae Schwartz, Todd Wagner, Nick Wechsler
Written by Christopher Kyle
Based on "Serena" by Ron Rash
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper
Music by Johan Soderovist
Cinematography: Morten Søborg
Edited by Pernille Bech Christensen, Matthew Newman, Simon Webb
Production company: 2929 Entertainment, Chockstone Pictures, Nick Wechsler Productions
Distributed by Magnolia Pictures, StudioCanal
Release date: 24 October 2014 (United Kingdom)
Running time: 109 minutes
Country: United States, France, Czech Republic, Denmark
Budget: $25–30 million
Box office: $3.7 million

"Serena" is a drama film directed by Susanne Bier and based upon the 2008 novel of the same name by Ron Rash. The story is about a succeeding owner of the timber empire whose life changes after his mariage with enigmatic Serena.

Cast

• Bradley Cooper as George Pemberton
• Jennifer Lawrence as Serena Pemberton
• Rhys Ifans as Galloway
• Sean Harris as Campbell
• Toby Jones as Sheriff McDowell
• Sam Reid as Vaughn
• David Dencik as Buchanan
• Blake Ritson as Lowenstein
• Ned Dennehy as Ledbetter
• Charity Wakefield as Agatha
• Michael Ryan as Coldfield
• Kim Bodnia as Abe Hermann
• Ana Ularu as Rachel
• Bodil Jørgensen as Mrs. Sloan

Susanne Bier, the director of the film, is best known for her feature films "Brothers", "After the Wedding" and the Academy Award winning "In a Better World", which won the Academy Award (2011) in Best Foreign Language Film. As for "Serena", it caught my attention, first of all, with the cast, then with the story and the atmosphere of the twentieth century which is one of my favourite period in History, especially in American one. And special effects and costumes helped me to feel like I was there. However, it's a thousand pities that the film didn't cover its budget. Someone may think "Serena" is a boring and overextended picture but I'm keen such films so it isn't a disadvantage for me. On the contrary, it let be deep in the plot, in the story.

The tandem Cooper-Lawrence is time-proved: "Silver Linings Playbook" (2012) and "American Hustle" (2013) showed how great these actors can work with each other. And "Serena" didn't become an exception. I love Bradley Cooper's acting, he's a wonderful actor. His George Pemberton isn't a simple character that it can seem at first sight: he took hard a loss of a baby, a breakdown of the empire; the scene when he throttles his wife is really strong. But more attention I want to draw to Jennifer Lawrence's Serena Pemberton. The terrible loss literally drives her character insane and the episode with a fit of hysteria just proves it. Serena is like a puma that aims at a heart and don't stop before it reaches it and kill. She was born from fire and dies from it.

Advantages

• Bradley Cooper as George Pemberton
• Jennifer Lawrence as Serena Pemberton

Disadvantages

• The film seems faded and not in the finest sense of the word

"Strangenesses"

• Why the good becomes the bad?

Clue Moments

• A puma

Losing a child is one of the most terrible and difficult tests that can befall spouses. Moreover, it might dement: feelings overwhelm, a grief is too hard. But telling the truth, it isn't a reason for killing people are luckier in this way whatever cynical and horrible it sounds. It's necessary to learn to live with it and try to go on. And maybe one day the pain will remit.

The events of "Serena" unfolds in Depression-era that makes me pay attention to this historical period. The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the 1930s. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations; however, in most countries it started in 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s. It was the longest, deepest, and most widespread depression of the 20th century.

Worldwide GDP fell by 15% from 1929 to 1932. In the 21st century, the Great Depression is commonly used as an example of how far the world's economy can decline. The depression originated in the United States, after the fall in stock prices that began around September 4, 1929, and became worldwide news with the stock market crash of October 29, 1929 (known as Black Tuesday).

The Great Depression had devastating effects in countries rich and poor. Personal income, tax revenue, profits and prices dropped, while international trade plunged by more than 50%. Unemployment in the U.S. rose to 25%, and in some countries rose as high as 33%.

Cities all around the world were hit hard, especially those dependent on heavy industry. Construction was virtually halted in many countries. Farming communities and rural areas suffered as crop prices fell by approximately 60%. Facing plummeting demand with few alternate sources of jobs, areas dependent on primary sector industries such as mining and logging suffered the most.

Some economies started to recover by the mid-1930s. In many countries, the negative effects of the Great Depression lasted until the beginning of World War II.

You may see the trailer here.

Plot: 7/10

Entertainment: 6/10

Acting: 7/10

Originality: 8/10

Music and Sound: 7/10

7/10