Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence took to the screen together once more in “Serena,” it premiering in the Valley on Friday. “Serena” was a delight to see, complete with intense onscreen chemistry from the leading actors, and an intriguing storyline.
The film follows George Pemberton, played by Bradley Cooper, on his pursuit to build his timber empire in 1929 North Carolina. Soon he meets Serena, portrayed by Jennifer Lawrence, a tough, beautiful young woman, with the ability to swing an axe with the same level of strength and precision of any of George’s employees.
Despite Serena’s tragic past, in which she lost her entire family in a house fire, she gives herself completely to George, and the couple engages in an all consuming relationship that only Cooper and Lawrence could execute as brilliantly as this film showed.
A major overlying conflict in this noteworthy storyline was Serena and George’s persistent attempt to achieve the American dream. A wealthy company, complete with dozens of children in the yard, and a love that stayed in the honeymoon stage for a lifetime.
Outlying factors of course derailed the dream, but George and Serena were both insistent on achieving this notion, and did everything to achieve it, even murder.
Lawrence did an outstanding job portraying the strong Serena, and Cooper did an excellent job complimenting her. When George brings Serena to live in the camp where they retrieve all the timber, he tells his business partner, as well as each man that he employs, “She’s equal to any man here.”
It was refreshing to see a strong woman portrayed in this era, instead of the usual, Daisy Buchanan, elegant flapper persona that usually dominates the films and literature portraying that era.
Countless reviews criticized the picture, especially TIME, stating “Serena fails in ways that are fun neither to sit through nor to write about. The picture would barely be worth an obit except for its leading actors, Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence.”
Cooper and Lawrence did make the film, as their passion onscreen is the sole reason why such a dramatic storyline would be believable in the first place. The storyline itself was full of twists, turns and surprises.
Although, that didn’t meet TIME’s expectations either, “In Serena, stuff happens, then nastier stuff, without ever engaging the viewer’s rooting interest or sick fear.”
However, while watching the movie in a small theater, gasps were had by all in many crucial moments, and I found myself wiping away a tear in a heartbreaking scene showcasing Lawrence. Everyone seemed engaged, even on the edge of their seats.
The movie premiered at the BFI London Film Festival on November 12, 2014, and its mixed reviews is most likely what caused it to premiere in select, smaller theaters instead of being distributed to all major chains, despite its all-star cast. However, film of this magnitude belongs on the larger circuit.
The film was also based off a novel published in 2008 of the same name, and earned the ranking of 34 on the New York Times Bestseller list.
Despite its mixed reviews, “Serena” was worth the watch. The ending came as a surprise, which always makes for an admirable movie and storyline. Cooper and Lawrence gave a passionate, all-consuming performance that made the strong storyline that much more enjoyable. Being able to travel back in time to an era rich in history was a privilege, making “Serena” a real privilege as well.
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