You Hurt My Feelings is a gentle, funny exploration into truth telling, supporting loved ones and the little white lies we tell each other. The movie will definitely have you wondering the next time a loved one praises your work. The reviewer morning even ended with a brilliant Jerry Seinfeld moment.
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As any author knows showing your new book baby to anyone is nerve-wracking. Your soul is on show. Will it be held up ala Lion King or condemned to the bottom draw?
Beth (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) has already had one book published, a memoir which received “some” acclaim. Now her second book is sitting with her publisher waiting judgment. As she waits, she and her sister Sarah (Michaela Watkins) go shopping. Realising their husbands are shopping down the road they decide to surprise them. What could possibly go wrong?
As Beth sneaks up on her supportive therapist husband Don (Tobias Menzies) she gets more than she’d bargained for. Not only does she hear him say he doesn’t like her new book he’s also finds it exhausting having to keep reassuring her that it’s okay.
You Hurt My Feelings the movie is a fascinating look into the imposter syndrome that most artists feel at some stage. It asks, should you praise a loved one or be honest about their work? Are you being supportive or setting them up for failure?
As the audience applauded at the end of the movie, which is always a good sign, I pondered:
- The movie is a clever exploration of such a common trait that you wonder why it hasn’t been tackled before. Or maybe it has, just not so well;
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus is perfect as the tightly strung author. You can’t help but see a few moments of Elaine peeking through;
- Menzies is good as her supportive husband and even better as a jaded therapist. Some of his scenes are the funniest in the movie;
- It will definitely have you wondering next time someone, especially a loved one, praises your work;
- This is one for anyone working in the arts and definitely one for all my author friends;
- One of the funniest things was listening to the cinema staff member ask audience members if they enjoyed the movie on the way out. He hadn’t seen the movie so didn’t realize the irony as people said “oh yes, it was good”. Jerry Seinfeld would have loved this. You’ll just have to go see it yourself.
For more information go to Luna Cinemas
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