Midweek Mention... Margaret

The premise (simple, but the film isn’t): A privileged but messy NYC teenager, Lisa (Anna Paquin), causes a moment of distraction that leads to a bus hitting and killing a woman (Allison Janney). In the immediate aftermath she lies to the police—claiming the light was green—helping the driver (Mark Ruffalo) avoid consequences. The rest of the film is Lisa spiralling through guilt, grief, anger, and a need to “make it right,” while the city and everyone around her keep moving.What we talked about:Peak New York energy: classrooms full of political debate, constant noise, constant arguing, constant opinion. It feels like a movie made by New York about New York.The accident scene is brutal and effective: the sound design, the “oh God she’s under the bus—no she isn’t” reveal, the shock of the detached leg detail.Lisa as a catalyst/chaos engine: she’s manipulative early (cheating, playing people), then becomes obsessive—fixated on getting the driver off the road.Adults failing her, repeatedly:Her mum is emotionally absent (Broadway ambitions, new relationship), and the mother–daughter conflict goes nuclear (including a shocking insult).The system shrugs: the driver is exonerated, and later the legal route becomes a cold negotiation rather than “justice.”The legal thread: the case can only move via next-of-kin dynamics; settlement money becomes the lever; but discipline for Ruffalo’s driver is off the table because it implies guilt.Matt Damon “week” irony: Damon is barely in it—yet appears in the trailer—making the pick feel like a forced “hipster” choice.The uncomfortable Damon subplot: a teacher boundary-crossing storyline that lands badly and makes the film feel grimier, not deeper.Performances / cast notes: Big ensemble, lots of “oh wow, they’re in this” energy: Paquin carries it; Ruffalo is an outright asshole; Allison Janney’s presence is seismic even with limited time; plus Jean Reno, Matthew Broderick, and more orbiting the core. Pacing / vibe: Overlong, heavy, and (for us) pretentious rather than profound—with the most compelling parts being the accident’s immediacy and the moral rot that follows. Theatrical cut runs about 149 minutes, with a longer 186-minute extended cut also out there. Verdict from us: Lukewarm-to-negative recommend. Strong craft and acting in places, but frustratingly long, emotionally abrasive, and not remotely worth it as a “Matt Damon week” entry.You can now text us anonymously to leave feedback, suggest future content or simply hurl abuse at us. We'll read out any texts we receive on the show. Click here to try it out!We love to hear from our listeners! By which I mean we tolerate it. If it hasn't been completely destroyed yet you can usually find us on twitter @dads_film, on Facebook Bad Dads Film Review, on email at [email protected] or on our website baddadsfilm.com. Until next time, we remain... Bad Dads