The Film Experience

Chris here. Next year has more than enough to offer with comic book adaptations, but here's a first look at something outside of the superhero variety. From Daniel Clowes's graphic novel, Wilson stars Woody Harrelson as a rascally buffoon partnering up with an ex-wife (Laura Dern) to find the daughter she had put up for adoption. Fans of Clowes's Ghost World and Art School Confidential (both the films and graphic novels) can expect some off-kilter humor and sharp character study - with The Skeleton Twins director Craig Johnson taking the directing reigns from Terry Zwigoff.

Take a look at the NSFW trailer and our YNMS thoughts after the jump...

YES

That cast! Harrelson and Dern have the plum roles, but it's hard to argue against any comedy with Judy Greer, Margo Martindale, and Cheryl Hines on the fringes.
It's about time that Harrelson got a comedy showcase when his biggest roles are of the brooding variety (see: Rampart, True Detective). We usually only see his funny side in supporting roles, like next week's The Edge of Seventeen (even if it slightly retreads on his Hunger Games role).
Wacky Laura Dern is sometimes the best Laura Dern.
Craig Johnson found great balance between dark humor and honest drama with The Skeleton Twins, and his episode of Looking is one of the series's standouts. He's definitely got the smarts for tricky material.

For such a distinct visual artists as Clowes, this sure does look a little visually... uninspired.
Will this tilt too far into the crass side? The trailer doesn't hint at any Ghost World level pathos to make this more than a quirky dark comedy.
And please be have more to offer than Dirty Old Man jokes.
Oof, that narration, which hopefully belongs just to the trailer and not the film.

MAYBE SO

The film drops shortly after this Oscar season ends and an off-kilter palette cleanser with some pedigree is always welcome after a long season.
Could 2017 be the year of a Woody Harrelson Renaissance? Aside from this he'll have the next Planet of The Apes, a new Martin McDonagh film, and The Glass Castle to show off his full range.
It might be time for a Ghost World revisit... I'd loved it at the time, but how has it aged?

I'm leaning MAYBE SO based on this first look. What do you think about the trailer?