LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE refers to what you think you see instead of the underlying layers of pain and grief. Heavy, daunting topics hold this film together in a rather hodge-podge, mixed-up manner.
Mila Kunis portrays the adult Ani as she tries to walk through her amazing work and personal life. The problem is her past cannot stay hidden forever, and she is triggered over and over about the traumatic events from her teen years at a private school. PTSD is real and dragging her down a spiral effect. The truth wants to come out, but it takes Ani close to two film hours to realize this.
Powerful topics were at the core that needed to be discussed and are prevalent daily in today’s society. The problem is not the subject matter but rather how they are presented. It took forever to get to the crux of the matter, and the numerous flashbacks did not help. My heart broke for the ills of her situation but not for Ani. I wanted to feel more empathy, but it just wasn’t there for such an unlikeable person. This should not have happened to her or the other suffering young people today. I just did not celebrate her growth and triumphs. I felt more for the hundreds of others who were impacted by Ani’s life.
The writers missed the boat on this one. What a shame. It could have been so much more. There were strong acting moments that tore at my heart with fear and sadness. This was an uncomfortable film to watch, and it needed a different set of hands to guide the journey.
THE LUCKIEST GIRL is available to stream on NETFLIX.
