Writer-director Rebecca Miller’s She Came to Me finds melodrama at every angle, using its talented cast to paint thin portraits of people whose lives should be very simple and nice, but they simply aren’t. Steven (Peter Dinklage) is considered a genius-level, contemporary English opera composer who is struggling with mental health which is only agonized but his writer’s block. During this time, he met and married his therapist, Patricia (Anne Hataway). In her efforts to get him involved in the world again, Patricia sends Steven out on a walk with their dog where he meets Katrina (Marisa Tomei) at a bar. Their encounter is the catalyst to a wild family drama that sees Steven finding his voice again, even as the people around him spiral from their own life’s problems and choices.
The weakness of this movie may be how much it tells versus how much it shows. But what it does show is well done. The cinematography and the way that the actors are captured are often creative. The film, at times, utilizes a 4:3 aspect ratio with really smooth lenses that create painting-like stills of its characters at their most intimate. The tighter aspect ratio seems to deliver the idea of intimacy but at times seems to be used for no particular reason. (It also clashes with the more dramatic play-like situation this film tries to create.)
Now as a concept, this is fine. Not every movie needs to be explicitly about filmmaking but instead, it steers too much in the other direction, almost forsaking the visual storytelling that filmmaking allows. The setup of the movie relies heavily on dialogue exposition, creating some awkward scenes that feel like a writer’s excuse to inform the audience about the story. While knowing what’s happening on screen is essential, it undercuts a lot of the serious moments that the film tries to execute. Instead, despite the best efforts from these actors, a lot of these moments seem absurd and forced. The film simply had too much on its mind for the length, making the characters and their arcs seem very flat.
She Came to Me isn’t without its creative moments. The aforementioned 4:3 aspect ratio bolsters some really nice-looking shots. The cinematography is clearly done with a skilled hand and the sound is used in a couple of notable moments when Dinklage and Tomei’s characters are together. The actors are still clearly world-class. There’s no doubt about that. You never question that Dinklage, Tomei, and Hathaway are feeling the emotions that they’re supposed to be. Still, the story and world they are put in is so absurd that it’s very hard for their talent to shine through throughout the majority of this movie.
She Came to Me is available in theatres on Friday, October 6th, 2023.
