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Every Thing Will Be Fine

Must an artist suffer? Must you?

In Wim Wenders’s latest meandering, angst-ridden navel-gazer, a moody writer (James Franco) driving around and thinking deep thoughts after a marital spat hits and kills a little girl. We revisit him over the next 12 years to see how he’s dealing with the consequences of the accident. It’s nicely shot and has an initially intriguing premise, but this is arrogant filmmaking at its worst, a ponderous, airless slog that goes absolutely nowhere. It might have been more effective with a real actor in the lead. But probably not. Also an adequate Rachel McAdams and a criminally underused Charlotte Gainsbourg.

Japanese title: Dareno sei demonai. (118 min)