Review: HERE by Robert Zemeckis is a beautiful and heartfelt film

Roberto Zemeckis’ Here is a beautiful, heartfelt and wonderfully moving film that took me on an emotional roller coaster. It’s a cinematic experience that feels as if it silently grabs you, taking you on a journey through time, memory, and the messy beauty of human life.

This is a fascinating and unique film, especially in the way it tells its story, with a fixed camera looking at a single location, while everything around it changes as time passes.

The camera doesn’t pan, zoom, or move, yet the story unfolds across generations. It’s a uniquely immersive experience, making you feel like you’re witnessing the raw, unfiltered reality of life.

The passage of time is Here you are a true storyteller, relentlessly moving forward as families come and go, love blooms and fades, and memories accumulate.

Watching the story unfold like this really draws you in, allowing every detail and nuance to sink in. The emotional impact is almost overwhelming at times as it is full of life’s ups and downs. Life is unpredictable and Here beautifully captures the joy and pain that exist side by side in this small but significant space.

As the father of three now grown daughters, I discovered Here particularly recognizable and moving. It’s a stark reminder of how quickly life passes. One day, you’re raising children, and before you know it, they’re adults with lives of their own.

Zemeckis seems to tap into this sense of fleeting time, showing how quickly moments vanish, and this resonated with me. There’s a bittersweet nostalgia throughout the film, especially as it captures not just the big moments but also the quiet, everyday ones that ultimately define our lives.

I felt the story struck a personal chord, reminding me to hold on to what truly matters because time, once lost, is gone forever.

The film is the protagonist Tom Hanks AND Robin Wrightwho both deliver powerful, memorable performances that feel real and grounded.

Hanks plays Richard, a baby boomer who we follow through different stages of his life. Through skillful makeup and digital effects, we see Hanks portray Richard from his young adulthood in the 1960s to his later years, aging him into his late 1980s.

Watching Hanks transform back and forth over the decades is fascinating, capturing the essence of a man shaped by time.

Wright plays Margaret, who becomes Richard’s girlfriend and eventually his wife, guiding him through life’s intimate and difficult moments. Her character is lively, bringing warmth to the story, and it’s clear that she and Hanks share a chemistry that makes their relationship layered and authentic.

The film is based on Richard McGuire’s graphic novel of the same name, described as “a groundbreaking and breathtaking odyssey through time and memory.”

Taking the concept of memory and rooting it firmly in a single place in New England, where wilderness gradually gives way to home. Generations live, love and fight here, and this single space becomes a canvas for their collective memories.

The supporting cast, included Michelle Dockery, Gwilym Lee, David Funn, Ophelia Lovibond, Nicola Pinnock, Nikki Amuka-birdAND Paolo Bettanythey complete the film with excellent performances.

While the film may not perform well at the box office, Here it’s a cinematic achievement that deserves to be seen on the big screen.

Zemeckis has created something extraordinary, a meditation on the way we live, the legacies we leave behind, and the bittersweet and fleeting nature of time.

It reminds us that the most important moments often happen right where we are, that life, while short and unpredictable, is still full of moments of profound beauty.

This is a wonderful cinematic experience.