Syrup (2013) Reviews

• Consumerism criticism love story.

  thebackofmyhouse2013-05-10

  First of all, I haven't read the book, which I heard was good. This movie is more of a social commentary on consumerism, particularity in the advertising industry and how everything is about projecting the right image to make money. The main story is about two advertising people are attracted to each other, but are they attracted to the image that the other is presenting or the real person behind it? There are some interesting anecdotes on the nature of marketing being presented in the movie, which I find to be the biggest draw of the movie for me. If seen from a "criticism of marketing" point of view, the movie is "deep". There are layers to the characters and story that requires a re-watch to get everything. Overall, the movie achieves what it set to do. The story moves along at a good pace, there were no boring parts. Amber Heard's acting outshines the other actors. The not-so-big budget of the movie shows at times, but it doesn't interfere it from being a good movie.

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• Brilliant

  john-138-9049082013-11-12

  Ahhhh IMDb reviewers what is wrong with you people. I sat down to this after reading the reviews (5.5 average) and thought maybe its just another romcom flam which will fill in the evening, it will be nothing much. But what I got was an original storyline and an engaging non cloned romcom I never seen before which zinged with ideas and concepts which I am still thinking about 2 days later, that is very rare with films these days. As the film went the main protagonists have a great on screen chemistry, the story is an in-depth look at shallow marketing and it does that brilliantly. I really don't have to say more. People have a look at this film and don't trust the reviewers who have read the book. I am sure the book is better, but as a standalone film this is very enjoyable. I have just bought another of the authors books as I am eager for more of his views of this time we live in.

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• 540th Review: Solid Post-Hipster Business Satire

  intelearts2013-05-19

  Syrup is a clever piece of film based on Max Barry's blacker than black novel about modern business where saying Wharton and Harvard is more important than effort and hard work. In a world where brand image is everything, everything is up for grabs. Shiloh Frenandez plays Scat, a guy with dreams but lacking the killer instinct, that is supplied by 6, a platinum blonde who lives for marketing, well-played by Amber Heard - together they look to make a new soft drink and get involved in the ludicrously lucrative world of inter-office politics and global marketing. This is good solid satire that just about has enough self-knowing irony to cock a snoot at what it's meant to be doing - and we, as the audience are gullible to be fooled and wise enough to know the fun is being fooled. All in all this is a well-made and well-packaged film that doesn't quite get to the heart of the novel - but it's fun and funny and appeals to the post-hipster too cool for school in all of us.

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• A very funny & entertaining movie that really makes a statement about brand marketing. I really enjoyed & highly recommend. I say A-

  cosmo_tiger2013-08-22

  "Looking at a billboard is supposed to feel like love at first sight but it's not real, it's just marketing and without it you wouldn't even know who you are." Scat (Fernandez) is fresh out of marketing school with no prospects on the horizon until he comes up with an idea for a new energy drink. When he brings it to the attention of Six (Heard) he is excited at the prospect of becoming rich but a double cross changes everything. With the job I have I pretty much watch everything no matter what it is. I usually don't watch the trailers for the movie because I don't like when they give too much away. Doing it that way makes what I watch real hit or miss as far as how good it is. What I have noticed is that the lower budget movies that I haven't heard of are 99% of the time better then the "studio" movies. This is a perfect example of that. I don't know if satire is the right word but the movie to me shows how the marketing industry will do whatever it takes to sell a product and how gullible the public is when it comes to branding. The movie does get a little dark at times but that proves it's point all the more. The movie is entertaining and funny but to me this is more of a statement movie. I could also be reading way too much into it though. Overall, a huge surprise of a movie that I highly recommend. I give it an A-.

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• Absolutely spot on!

  charles0002016-12-11

  Given how well this is put together (not to mention Amber Heard, who completely nails her character perfectly, and then some), it's a bit surprising this was not the big commercial success it could have been. At the very least, it certainly did not deserve the rotten tomatoes rating, and other critical reviews it received. But maybe, just maybe . . . that's the key to understanding this film, in that perhaps it strikes just a bit too close to home for many to actually feel comfortable with. For those obsessed with Utopian fantasy and political correctness, advanced warning: this is not for you. As so many of the other reviewers here have cited, this is a spectacular (if not more than a bit darkish) probe into the predatory, media frenzy driven universe of targeted demographic branding, and the uber self absorbed, shallow and soulless practitioners of this enterprise in its most extreme forms. Yes, this film is described as a "romcom", but actually, this is somewhat in its own category, not neatly crammed into thematic descriptive box, which may have also partially contributed to its unfortunate commercial demise. No, this is not a "feel good" fluffy film about girl meets boy in the corporate world and the adventures thereof. Far from it. But from an entirely different perspective, as a near perfect examination character study of the sorts of bizarre people and their personal demons one can encounter in this environment, Syrup delivers. As one who has actually spent a bit of time lurking about in the aforementioned environment, with said humanoids, with their personal demons ad nauseum and beyond, the stereotypes depicted here are all too real, and their existence as portrayed is, as previously suggested, perhaps much too close to home for some. As for the actual romance part of the story, yes, it is interesting in its own right, although the ending could have perhaps been a bit different (no spoilers here). But in the larger picture, as it were, the story (actually, there are several story threads woven together throughout) structure is more of a scaffold into which the various character studies are inserted, and a mosaic is constructed from which to get a glimpse into the dark intrigues of branding, targeted marketing, predatory media manipulation and beyond which has become the new norm of the millennial era. OK, that probably wasn't the most politically correct last bit of commentary, but perhaps a dose of reality might be an appropriate reference to work with here, as is the message of the film. Maybe not all will agree, but for my vote, a very solid 8.

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