Hateship Loveship Is One to Love
Film: Hateship Loveship (2013). Young Actress: Hailee Steinfeld, age 15.
After the death of the elderly woman who she'd been caring for and living with for years, the painfully shy, awkward Johanna (Kirsten Wiig) gets a new job as a live-in housekeeper for a wealthy, domineering old man (Nick Nolte) and his teenage granddaughter Sabitha (Hailee). Sabitha has been living with her grandfather since her mother's death in a car accident a few months before. Her father Ken (Guy Pearce, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark), an alcoholic ex-con, was driving drunk when it happened.
When Ken comes the suburbs to visit Sabitha, he meets Johanna and later mails her a brief, “nice-to-meet-you” note. Johanna writes him back, but Sabitha and her mean-spirited friend Edith intercept it and compose a phony love letter in response. Johanna continues exchanging love letters with “Ken” for several weeks, until she travels to Chicago to see him in person. But when she arrives at his place, he asks her why she's there and has no idea what she's talking about when she mentions their letters.
Sabitha and Edith type a letter to Johanna, supposedly from Ken.
Despite that awkward beginning, a romance does develop between Ken and Johanna, and it's handled in an impressively touching, realistic way. As they go from near-strangers to people who care deeply about each other, Ken stops doing drugs and starts attending his probationary meetings, and he and Johanna open a motel together. The happy ending is a bit saccharine, but it didn't subtract from my enjoyment of the film. Although Hailee's role isn't large (especially in the second half, which focuses on Ken and Johanna), her character is complex and well-written, giving Hailee a lot of opportunity for great acting. Her subtle shifts from rebellious to vulnerable are very impressive. The only downside to this movie is the best friend role; Sami Gayle, as Sabitha's friend Edith, is annoying and gets a little too much screentime. I found her very reminiscent of the best-friend role in Perfect Sisters.
Other reviews of Hailee's films: Begin Again (2013), Pitch Perfect 2 (2015).
After the death of the elderly woman who she'd been caring for and living with for years, the painfully shy, awkward Johanna (Kirsten Wiig) gets a new job as a live-in housekeeper for a wealthy, domineering old man (Nick Nolte) and his teenage granddaughter Sabitha (Hailee). Sabitha has been living with her grandfather since her mother's death in a car accident a few months before. Her father Ken (Guy Pearce, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark), an alcoholic ex-con, was driving drunk when it happened.
When Ken comes the suburbs to visit Sabitha, he meets Johanna and later mails her a brief, “nice-to-meet-you” note. Johanna writes him back, but Sabitha and her mean-spirited friend Edith intercept it and compose a phony love letter in response. Johanna continues exchanging love letters with “Ken” for several weeks, until she travels to Chicago to see him in person. But when she arrives at his place, he asks her why she's there and has no idea what she's talking about when she mentions their letters.
Sabitha and Edith type a letter to Johanna, supposedly from Ken.
Despite that awkward beginning, a romance does develop between Ken and Johanna, and it's handled in an impressively touching, realistic way. As they go from near-strangers to people who care deeply about each other, Ken stops doing drugs and starts attending his probationary meetings, and he and Johanna open a motel together. The happy ending is a bit saccharine, but it didn't subtract from my enjoyment of the film. Although Hailee's role isn't large (especially in the second half, which focuses on Ken and Johanna), her character is complex and well-written, giving Hailee a lot of opportunity for great acting. Her subtle shifts from rebellious to vulnerable are very impressive. The only downside to this movie is the best friend role; Sami Gayle, as Sabitha's friend Edith, is annoying and gets a little too much screentime. I found her very reminiscent of the best-friend role in Perfect Sisters.
Other reviews of Hailee's films: Begin Again (2013), Pitch Perfect 2 (2015).