As characters are introduced, a mystery unravels: Who are all these neighbors to each other? The famous actors got the message. Wondering if Change in the Air is OK for your kids? In CHANGE IN THE AIR, beautiful, mysterious Wren Miller (Rachel Brosnahan) moves into a friendly but very curious neighborhood. Thank you for your support. Dukakis and Quinn perform admirably, given the circumstances, but Brosnahan mostly just walks and gazes while trying to be ethereal, so it's hard to give her kudos. On one hand, a young woman moves into a community, and her presence drives change; on the other, an aged gentleman always carries loose change with him, and there's a connection with birds flying in the air. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free. Join now. It far surpasses any other in every way. Common Sense and other associated names and logos are trademarks of Common Sense Media, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (FEIN: 41-2024986). It... As a 65 yr old great grandmother, this movie touched me in a way that made me feel 'heard.' If you chose to provide an email address, it will only be used to contact you about your comment. Do you think she made a positive impact in Change in the Air? In fact it is so quiet and peaceful that I’m reminded of the best in line (not an exact quote) in this year’s best drama so far, “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” (Melissa McCarthy in an Oscar-worthy performance), “He died, Or moved to the suburbs.

It would be nice to say that 94 minutes later, the answers to all of these questions were revealed with a whopping WOW, but, no. In the beginning you think there is a plot. Go see “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” It will restore your faith in the movies. One character is a stereotypically nosy neighbor whose busybody ways lead her to participate in some minor crimes, including driving without a license, breaking and entering, lying to a police officer, and stealing mail. Screenwriter: Audra Gorman What exactly does it mean? Why do you think people keep a journal?

Characters who co-exist in a neighborhood are generally friendly, look out for one another, are somewhat ethnically diverse. What benefit does journaling provide? Parents: Set preferences and get age-appropriate recommendations with Common Sense Media Plus. Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of all kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century. An elderly character steps in front of a car on purpose (it takes place offscreen, and he's OK), and another character is an alcoholic, which ultimately has serious consequences. Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

This classic delivers warmth all year long. Wren is quiet, and keeps to herself. We display the minimum age for which content is developmentally appropriate. Why is this an important character strength? Spoiler alert: A character gets very upset telling the sad story of a young girl who almost dies of vehicular heatstroke. Families can talk about Wren. Wren, a young woman with a mysterious past and mysterious hobby moves into an upstairs apartment above a house, and the neighborhood becomes engulfed in her story, and what she could possibly be doing with the hundreds of letters she receives and reads each day. Sentimental faith-based adaptation explores grief, healing. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. A character is very taken with another. An alcoholic character secretly drinks; her alcoholism has a devastating consequence. An elderly man intentionally steps in front of a moving car (it happens offscreen; he's OK).

Quirky drama about secrets leaves viewers in the dark. The only horror in the pic is the suburban community, a quiet place where doors are unlocked, neighbors barge in, mail is delivered on time, the cops are unlikely to ticket the neighbors they know. He comes back to life, only to painlessly die of a heart stoppage. The only person who is not nosy, Walter Lemke (M. Emmet Walsh), spends the movie time sitting and manspreading in a chair on the lawn. Plus, it's challenging to follow the subplot in each of the houses, much less care about the characters themselves. Very infrequent language includes "ass" and a Spanish insult. Meatball Magic and Mazda CX-5 are featured. Parents need to know that Change in the Air is a spiritual-ish drama that deals in the often painful human struggles that we all face -- and shows how finding someone to listen to those struggles can help us overcome them.Kids may not be particularly interested, but nothing in the movie is too edgy for older tweens. Why is curiosity considered a strength? So is the title a corny play on words? See our. Nobody gets stabbed, hacked, beheaded, shot, guillotined, or drawn and quartered.

Searching for streaming and purchasing options ... Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. The group meets once a year, in December, for voting on its annual NYFCO Awards. In fact, she shares very little about herself at all. She can’t resist allying with Josh (Satya Bhabha), the local postman, convincing him to join her in stealing a couple of letters and reading them. Rachel Brosnahan, Mary Beth Hurt, and Aidan Quinn star. We're updating our reviews to better highlight authentic stories and accurate, diverse representations. CHANGE IN THE AIR Who or what was she? Joa… Her next-door neighbor Jo Ann Bayberry (Mary Beth Hurt) tells her ornithologist husband Arnie Bayberry (Peter Gerety) that she’s lovely—three or four times. As Wren, Rachel Brosnahan is ideally cast since the young actress is an ethereal presence with her light blue eyes and her light clothing and face so white you might holler at the screen “Just put on a sheet as long as you insist on playing a ghost.” We may wonder why she’s hiding from the police, who knock on her door only to find her hiding in the house (even though she presumably could disappear or turn into a bird). Kids may not be particularly interested, but nothing in the movie is too edgy for older tweens. Background brands include Mercedes, Cadillac, and QVC. There’s a ghost in Dianne Dreyer’s movie, but “Change in the Air” has nothing to do with Halloween. Jo Ann is quite curious, even verging into nosiness/trespassing, but she does mean well. And then there's the title. Acting – B- Everyone is going through something difficult; it's important to have empathy for others' struggles. It ends with a "huh?" Find-your-bliss film appeals but raises questions, too.

Overall – C-. Parents and caregivers: Set limits for violence and more with Plus. Since Wren receives a full bag of mail daily, Jo Ann wonders whether she’s a speed-reader.

However, once a local cop (Aiden Quinn) arrives on the scene, she is nowhere to be found. There’s a ghost in Dianne Dreyer’s movie, but “Change in the Air” has nothing to do with Halloween. What to Watch, Read, and Play While Your Kids Are Stuck Indoors, Common Sense Selections for family entertainment, Stoke kids' love of reading with great summer stories, Check out new Common Sense Selections for games, Teachers: Find the best edtech tools for your classroom with in-depth expert reviews, 6 formas de usar los medios para que los niños mantengan el español, Wide Open School: recursos para el aprendizaje a distancia, Which Side of History? No dialogue from him, which is fine. Harvey Karten is the founder of the The New York Film Critics Online (NYFCO) an organization composed of Internet film critics based in New York City. Nobody gets stabbed, hacked, beheaded, shot, guillotined, or drawn and quartered. Our ratings are based on child development best practices. This might be a faith-based film, but that's fuzzy, too. When Walter next door (M. Emmet Walsh) walks deliberately into the path of an oncoming car, Wren witnesses the accident and calls 911, saving his life.

Your email address will not be published. Very gentle, quiet on-screen death. A central character helps free others of their burdens. Parents need to know that Change in the Air is a spiritual-ish drama that deals in the often painful human struggles that we all face -- and shows how finding someone to listen to those struggles can help us overcome them. True, one old guy gets run down by a car, but no problem. Required fields are marked *. The longer Wren lives nearby, the more odd things start happening, and the neighbors' secrets start to emerge. Marital affection. Deeply Thought Provoking & Conscious Raising, 5 Tips to Make Family Movie Night a Success. If you read this carefully, you’ll know the antidote, one that will shake you up and maybe have the same effect on the suburban town. The star rating reflects overall quality. A quiet, tree lined, close knit neighborhood of mostly retired people is the setting for Change in the Air.

94 minutes. Screen Media Films She doesn’t share what she’s doing with the letters. All rights reserved. Writing them down can help you process your emotions, release self-judgments, gain new insights. What are their personal struggles? “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” will make much of what follows mediocre or, in the case of “Change in the Air,” pretty terrible. And what is the new neighbor's secret, and how will she solve their problems? It’s no secret that Alison (Rachel Zeiger-Haag), Jo Ann’s daughter, had passed away since, of course Wren knows all. Most confounding is why well-respected, award-winning actors like Olympia Dukakis, Rachel Brosnahan, M. Emmet Walsh, and Aidan Quinn signed up for a film of such "eh" stature. See something that needs to be addressed? Screened at: Dolby24, NYC, 10/4/18 Why does she receive an enormous amount of mail, where does she go during the day, and why does she avoid the police? We won't share this comment without your permission. © 2018 by Harvey Karten, Member, New York Film Critics Online, Story – D

I have never seen a film like this one. If it’s another action, I must have missed it by dozing for the wrong half-minute. Can curiosity have negative effects? Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Everything about this movie is perfect. Language is minimal but includes a use of "ass." Then, when it ends it didn't make ANY sense. The only real conflict finds Moody (Aidan Quinn), the cop, arguing with the pharmacist who does not want to fill his script because it’s 6.01p and the pharmacy division closes at 6. Your email address will not be published. How does Wren shake up the town and wake up people who would come to life in an apartment in a thriving metropolis? Meanwhile, Wren's perplexing behavior is driving the neighbors -- particularly Jo Ann (Mary Beth Hurt) -- mad with curiosity. I can’t tell the difference.” Don’t see this movie one day after you see the McCarthy gem. World's coolest nanny celebrates family and fun. This is a waste of time. The only thing that is clear is that Change in the Air will keep you guessing long after the screen goes dark.

Big mistakes in characters' pasts are revealed. Suggest an update to this review. Get full reviews, ratings, and advice delivered weekly to your inbox. Beautifully soul touching revelation of human nature. Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization, earns a small affiliate fee from Amazon or iTunes when you use our links to make a purchase. What was her purpose?