THE GREATEST HITS – A Review by Jenn Rohm
When I first started hearing about Director/Writer Ned Benson’s newest project, The Greatest Hits, I was excited about the concept. Most, if not all of us, have experienced hearing a song and memories where that song was the soundtrack to the moment surface. The twist for this film is that Harriet (Lucy Boynton) travels back in time to the moment she first heard the song playing with Max (David Corenswet).
Two years prior, Harriet and Max were in a car wreck that took Max’s life, and she is trying to undo what happened. Her life has taken a completely different path than the one she was on. She has left the music industry and now works in the library. When she leaves the house, she puts in noise-canceling earplugs and wears sound-canceling headphones to avoid being triggered and pulled into the past. Her best friend, Austin Crute (Morris Maritn), is the last friend from her past and, while doing his best to support her, is at the end of his rope. He only plays “safe” music in his home and at gigs where he is DJ’ing. As a true friend, he wants Harriet to return to living in the present and move forward. One day in grief counseling, a newcomer, David (Justin H. Min), arrives. Attraction grows between David and Harriet. The creativity in options for dates while respecting her need to avoid triggers shows he may not understand but does care. With growing emotions, Harriet is now faced with the desire to save Max and decide whether to have him in her life or if she wants to be with David.
The film fell short of my expectations. Boynton, Min, and Crute’s acting conveys emotions, but their performances only scratch the surface of what the story could support. Surviving the loss of a loved one can be an emotional time in life. While I appreciated the use of grief counseling to support seeking help, the film itself never went deep enough to invoke an emotional response from me. I do not want to give away the ending itself, but it left me a bit torn about whether it was the proper ending. It is part wrapping up the story and part showing what it is meant to be, will always happen. It also created more questions that I want to discuss further.
If you are photosensitive, transitioning from the current to the past may trigger a reaction. The way these scenes were shot, and the tools of the trade created visually beautiful moments, and the first one even triggered a memory of a well-known commercial about sound from my childhood. Another memory was a scene where Harriet walks into a record store, and in my mind, I expected to see Iona behind the counter and Duckie flipping through the records.
There were things I really enjoyed and appreciated about the film. The concept is not something I recall having seen before, an appreciation for vinyl records that could encourage a new generation of support. The records are almost another character in the story. The aforementioned grief counseling supports mental health care in a positive way. It also features some fantastic scenes of Los Angeles that make me want to go back for a visit.
After watching the film, I could see it becoming one of those films I will have running in the background. I want to enjoy moments of it again, yet it isn’t one of those that makes me stop what I am doing and focus just on the movie.
Director: Ned Benson
Written By: Ned Benson
Cast: Lucy Boynton, David Corenswet, Justin H. Min
MPAA Rating: PG- 13 for drug use, strong language, and suggestive material.
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Musical, Romance
Selig Rating: 3.5 stars
Runtime: 1h 34m
Release Date: April 5, 2024, in theater and April 12, 2024, for streaming.
Trailer: The Greatest Hits official trailer
Website: The Greatest Hits official website
The Selig Rating Scale:
5 Stars – Excellent movie/show, well worth the time and price.
4 Stars – Good movie/show
3 Stars – OK movie/show
2 Stars – Well, there was nothing else…
1 Star – Total waste of time.
