Review #10 | "Serena" (2014)

The wait is finally over, leaving us to wish that perhaps we had kept on waiting. "Serena" was passed between directors, even once having Angelina Jolie's name attached to it, before it was laid to rest in the hands of Susanne Bier. The Danish director is credited with films such as "After The Wedding" and "Things We Lost in the Fire." Starring Academy Award Winner Jennifer Lawrence and Academy Award Nominee Bradley Cooper, one would naturally assume the on-screen power-couple would ensure instant success for "Serena"... if it were in the hands of David O'Russell. "Serena" was filmed in 2012 between the filming of "Silver Linings Playbook," for which Lawrence won her Oscar and Cooper received a nomination, and "American Hustle," for which both actors received Academy Award nominations. The scope of these two films outweighed the magnitude of Bier's film, perhaps for the greater good of the careers of everyone involved.

Unfortunately for Bier, the combination of a haphazard script, questionable supporting actor casting, nonsensical location choices, the timing of filming, and years in the editing room, to name a few, culminated into a film that perhaps Bier, Lawrence, and Cooper have already swept under the rug. A subtle hint of Lady Macbeth seeps from Lawrence's portrayal of Serena, creating a hauntingly tragic note the film, but sadly not enough of the tragedy between Serena and George (Cooper) can hold up to that kind of comparison. Ironically, Sean Harris provides a supporting performance which wasn't terrible isn't terrible or particularly entertaining, but it will be interesting to see him play MacDuff in "Macbeth" being released next year. The Danish background of Bier may have been what influenced her to use the Czech Republic as 1930's North Carolina Appalachian Mountains, a choice which will leave any American unconvinced from the beginning of the film. A vague plot, horrendously awkward sex scenes, and many unanswered questions from opening to closing credits leaves much to be desired. At least there are some pretty clothes to look at on two very pretty, talented actors.

After two years "Serena" received a very limited theatrical release and was recently wide released online. That is quite the opposite amount of fanfare that would be expected of the world's next Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck professional duo. The lack of promotion of "Serena" indicates that the cast and crew are ready to move on to new projects, especially after about three years of filming and post production.

Sadly, a film that can be skipped. For fans of Lawrence and Cooper, go ahead and try to watch it if you feel so inclined.

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"Serena" is rated R and runs 109 mins.

Starring Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence. Directed by Susanne Bier. Screenplay by Christopher Kyle, based on the book by Ron Rash.

*After filming "Roman Holiday" in 1953, for which Hepburn won the Academy Award and Peck received a nomination, Audrey and Gregory maintained a lifelong friendship and working relationship. When Peck learned that Audrey died of appendiceal cancer in Switzerland, he sent flower arrangements to the chapel.