Title – Kodachrome (2017)

Director – Mark Raso (Copenhagen)

Cast – Jason Sudeikis, Ed Harris, Elizabeth Olsen, Bruce Greenwood, Wendy Crewson, Dennis Haysbert

Plot – With his famous photographer father Ben (Harris) dying from cancer, failing music manager Matt (Sudeikis) sets out on a cross country road trip with Ben and his nurse Kate (Olsen) to get some Kodachrome film rolls developed before the technology to do so is no longer available.

“No matter how good something looks, you can’t beat the real thing”

Review by Eddie on 13/06/2018

Sometimes a film that doesn’t mess with the formula fly’s by thanks to its charms, smarts and loveably on-song cast, Netflix’s Kodachrome is one of those such film experiences.

A road trip movie that centres around dysfunctional father and son duo, Jason Sudeikis’s failing music manager Matt and Ed Harris’s dying photographer Ben and all round meanie Ben, with the addition of Elizabeth Olsen’s caring nurse Zoe, as the trio set-off to get Ben’s Kodachrome film rolls developed before the dying technology is exterminated, Kodachrome is one of those films that you will have figured out from about 5 minutes in, but it really doesn’t matter thanks to its execution and pitch-perfect delivery from its cast.

As the mismatched trio set forth on their adventure to Kansas City, we’re treated to some fantastically realised and often rather poignant character driven moments, stemming from Matt and Ben’s complicated father and son relationship and Ben’s increasing feelings towards Olsen’s troubled yet compassionate and likeable Zoe.

Director Mark Raso keeps things moving at a steady pace as Kodachrome refuses to linger to long in any one place and while never going too deep into the backstories of these relatable characters, we get to know just enough about each of them to ensure that Kodachrome will be watched without a dry eye in the room.

Kodachrome’s ability to draw out real and tangible feelings from its audience is thanks largely to its aforementioned cast members and while Sudeikis is as good as his ever been as the troubled Ben, its Harris and Olsen that steal the show here.

Relishing the chance to get cantankerous, Harris is a blast as the hard to love but hard to hate Ben while Olsen further establishes herself as one of the most likeable and watchable actresses working in the industry today with another fine turn as Zoe.

It seems at present that the sibling of Mary-Kate and Ashley can truly do no wrong.

Final Say –

With great turns from its cast members, a toe-tapping soundtrack and a strong emotional core, Kodachrome is a road-trip worth taking and despite its long foreshadowed ending and adherence to the rulebook, this is one of the best Netflix films to find its way into our households (or cinemas as is the case in Australia) this year.

4 thrown away cassette tapes out of 5