Palmer Review: Justin Timberlake Shines In Otherwise Standard Drama
- naterichard98
- Jan 31, 2021
- 2 min read
DIRECTED BY: FISHER STEVENS STARRING: JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, RYDER ALLEN, & ALISHA WAINWRIGHT
RATED R FOR LANGUAGE, SOME SEXUAL CONENT/NUDITY AND BRIEF VIOLENCE
LENGTH: 110 MINUTES
It's been nearly 4 years since popstar Justin Timberlake last appeared in front of the camera in a feature film, though he's still been keeping busy providing his voice in one of the lead roles in Dreamworks Animation's successful Trolls franchise as well as contributing to the soundtrack for each of the films. Ten years ago, Timberlake was popping up in films frequently including playing Napster creator Sean Parker in the Oscar-winning The Social Network as well as starring in R-Rated comedies from the likes of Friends With Benefits and Bad Teacher. Palmer marks Timberlake's return to acting in a role with that has given him some of the strongest raves in his acting career. Could Timberlake finally get a coveted Best Actor nomination come Oscar time?
Fisher Stevens' drama follows the titular Eddie Palmer (Timberlake), a former high school football star who returns home in a small Louisiana town to live with his grandmother Vivian (June Squibb) after a 12-year stint in prison. Upon his arrival he meets Sam (Ryder Allen), a 7 year old boy who Vivian looks after due to the child's negligent mother's (Juno Temple) drug addiction. Sam is a labeled as an outcast in school, he vastly prefers princesses and dress-up over pirates and sports and prefers to wear pink instead of navy blue. When Sam's mother leaves and shows no signs of coming back anytime soon, Palmer reluctantly finds himself serving as the child's temporary guardian and soon starts to form a close-bond with the boy.
Timberlake shines in the title role, showcasing his best acting to date, he remains committed to the character and never feels miscast or out of place. In fact, the film itself likely wouldn't work if it weren't for Timberlake's performance. He also shares excellent chemistry with his young co-star Allen and their relationship and dynamic proves itself to be the beating heart of the movie and because of this the emotional beats feel genuine and earned instead of forced and hokey.
The film certainly goes through many of the tropes of the films of this likeness, while incorporating themes of gender identity and addiction. The film doesn't make an effort to delve into these themes too deeply, but covers them just enough to get the film's message across. The script itself feels a bit repetitive in it's story-beats, which definitely slows down the film's pacing. In the hands of a more experienced director, the film could have been much tighter and in result more memorable.
Regardless of it's flaws, Palmer is still worth the watch, it has it's heart in the right place and Timberlake gives a terrific lead performance. Just don't go in expecting a hard-hitting drama that'll shake you to your very core.
3/5 Stars
Palmer is now available to stream on Apple TV+.
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