Brie Larson's directorial debut Unicorn Store is almost as magical and awe-inspiring as its title suggests. This film is a strange, indie flick that was picked up by Netflix recently after its festival circuit a few years back. For as talented and well-versed in current cinematic history as Larson is, I found it quite difficult to follow along with this movie's nonsensical plot points and quirky character elements. Even though the entire cast involved gave out incredible performances and Larson's directing worked very smoothly, it was hard for me to follow along with the majority of this story. And it really wasn't until the very end that I was able to actually figure out what the overlying message was. Thankfully, none of this changes the fact that Kit is one of the most adorable characters ever.
Kit (Brie Larson) is a young woman who, after recently getting kicked out of her dream art school, has taken up residence once again with her parents Gladys (Joan Cusack) and Gene (Bradley Whitford). After taking a temp position at a public relations firm to prove to her parents that she's an adult, she receives a strange letter from a salesman (Samuel L. Jackson) promising all of her childhood dreams to come true. In the form of a unicorn that she had wanted since she was a kid. This sounds like a total blast of a film, able to tap into the childlike and wondrous world of unicorns and never giving up on your goals. Unfortunately, Samantha McIntyre's script is this film's biggest issue. I have read many critics who have stated that this movie is too childish for adults but too adult for children and I could not agree any more with that criticism. I love and adore this story and what it could have become, but I think a more solid choice on the direction of its tone would have greatly benefitted it. This film attempts to tackle more adult issues such as sexual harassment and also more childish themes such as growing up and becoming your own person, but that balance was just not there. Unicorn Store still has a happy ending accompanied by a cute score and colorful wonder, but not much else. This movie is really just a cute way of spending 92 minutes, but thankfully, it's time decently well spent.
The greatest elements of this film that made it so much fun to watch were the performances and Larson's beautiful direction. Brie Larson's performance as Kit was the standout of this entire movie and whether the story was pandering to adults or children, she played the perfect naive and imaginative girl. Her art skills and quirky personality led to one of the cutest characters I have ever seen and her unrelenting optimism was so commendable. Kit's cluelessness in regards to the scary things and dark themes of this film made for one of the most wholesome and lovable characters. I also loved Samuel L. Jackson's performance as the salesman of the store. I have noticed a lot of his roles recently becoming more exuberant rather than dark and dramatic and I honestly love it. His career has gone in enough dark places where he should be allowed to play these fun roles. Joan Cusack, Bradley Whitford, and Mamoudou Athie as Kit's friend Virgil were all also great in their roles. Larson's directing throughout this film was incredible. Despite the script being messy and weak at times, it is clear that she has a great handle on how to tell a story. She nailed the aesthetic and feel of this world while pacing a story out in a nice, quick time.
Unicorn Store is a very charming and magical little film that manages to just barely get by on its cute and (almost) relatable story. Even though this movie definitely suffers from finding its exact target audience, I still love and appreciate Larson's directing and overall efforts when it comes to telling a story that is important to her.
My Rating: ★★★
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