A widowed Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist (Russell Crowe) struggles to keep custody of his eight-year-old daughter while dealing with a mental breakdown and a sagging career. Flash-forward a quarter-century to his grown daughter (Amanda Seyfried) dealing with her own demons, mostly through extremely loose sex (until love interest Aaron Paul shows up). Flash back to Russell and then back again to Amanda. Repeat repeatedly.

Directed by Italy’s maudlin master manipulator Gabriele Muccino (The Pursuit of Happyness). None of the actors made me forget they were acting. More depressing than anything else. Japanese title: Papa ga Nokoshita Monogatari. (116 min)