Please Stand By (2017)

Director: Ben Lewin
Stars: Dakota Fanning, Toni Collette, Alice Eve
Runtime: 93 minutes

Performances: 7/10
Screenplay: 4/10
Special Effects: N.A.
Costumes/Makeup: 6/10
Editing: 5/10
Cinematography: 6/10
Score/Soundtrack: 4/10

Verdict: A young autistic girl sets on a journey to submit a screenplay she wrote for a Star Trek competition in "Please Stand By", directed by Ben Lewin.

A Star Trek fan (or Treky if I want to get technical) myself, I was really looking forward to watching this film, especially since the idea behind it was original and to some degree appropriate, as it is wildly regarded that Spock, much like the titular character of Wendy, has autistic traits. There are things I liked in it, and things I dislike. First of all, Dakota Fanning in the lead, while not being consistent in my opinion and far from the level of other actors who played similar roles (Sean Penn in "I Am Sam", which ironically also stars the now 24-year-old actress), was still pretty interesting to watch. The movie is by no means an ugly one as well, but doesn't offer anything new either cinematography-wise. However, what made the movie as forgettable as it was for me was its script and soundtrack. The lines of dialogue, much like the story told, were most of the time sappy and predictable. The film is also guilty of something I feared was going to happen before I even started watching it: It explains to the audience the parallels Wendy and Spock have without letting them figure it out on their own. The explanation was done very bluntly and poorly, and made me roll my eyes in disappointment. The soundtrack gave a goofy feel to the picture that I felt was out of place and to some extent confusing.

I really was expecting better from a movie with such a promising synopsis, and can't help but feel that it would've turned out much better in different hands. I'd only recommend this film to people interested in watching a well acted autistic character, as Dakota Fanning, despite not being brilliant, was still by far the best part about it. 

Final Grade: 5/10