The Mountain Between Us

This movie started strong, but unfortunately, it had a terrible second half and payoff. The only likeable performance in this was Idris Elba. Unfortunately, Kate Winslet's character is so whiny and unlikable that it's hard to root for her, let alone want her to end up with Elba's character. I'm fine when characters start out unlikable as long as they improve by the end. This does not happen here. Her character learns no lesson, and remains just as unlikable by the end. Going in, I did not know that this was a romance movie. And I can say, that if you've seen any romance movie ever you've already seen this. It has every cliche in the book. Awkaward, forced arguments, corny dialogue, 2 characters who swear not to fall in love, but then do.....I figured out how this was going to end 20 minutes in. This also had terrible CGI. There's a part with a cougar, and it looks so cheap and fake, and took me out of the film. It also ran about 30 minutes too long. The last half hour was filler, with no payoff and a predictable ending. If the first half weren't so strong, my judgement would be harsher, so it has that going for it, but I cannot recommend this movie. It was just OK.
Grade: C+    7/10     3/5 stars