REVIEW: Demolition: a well constructed film

IF you’re one of those people who chooses what movie to go to solely on the basis of the title, then you may be mislead by ‘Demolition’. 

It’s not an action movie with exploding buildings, CGI monsters and car chases. Instead it’s a clever and insightful look at one man’s journey through the process of grief. 

It tells the story of Davis (played by Jake Gyllenhaal), a successful investment banker, who struggles after losing his wife in a tragic car crash. Despite pressure from his father-in-law Phil (Chris Cooper) to pull it together, Davis continues to unravel. 

What starts as a complaint letter to a vending machine company turns into a series of letters revealing startling personal admissions. 

Davis’ letters catch the attention of customer service rep Karen (Naomi Watts) and, amidst emotional and financial burdens of her own, the two form an unlikely connection. 

With the help of Karen and her son Chris (Judah Lewis), Davis starts to rebuild, beginning with the demolition of the life he once knew.

The film is directed by Jean-Marc Valee who made ‘Dallas Buyers Club’ and ‘Wild’, both of which feature strong emotional performances from their leads (Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon respectively). 

Valee seems skilled in setting the mood and capturing the essence of a character going through an emotional crises, and he does it again here with the help of the superb Jake Gyllenhaal.

And on that point, are there are any better actors around today than Gyllenhaal? Unlucky not to get an Oscar nomination for the excellent ‘Nightcrawler’, he seems to be going from strength to strength. 

In ‘Demolition’, he gets to play a man on the edge, displaying a range of emotions that few of his contemporaries could equal. 

This in many ways is an uncomfortable film. It deals with serious subjects like grief, guilt and anger, and it may not be the easiest of watches for some. 

But it’s very well observed and takes an off-beat and different look at an alternative way to grieve.  We score it a solid and mature, 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Paul O’Rourke