Narraration in movies needs to be banned

Watched this movie last night after not seeing for several years - the use of the documentary style voice over narration was one of the things that I'd remembered from seeing it the first time.

I'd remembered liking it and thinking the way it was used - and the fact that it was the Frontline narrator - was unique and special - even inspired! I can imagine someone making this movie at some point saying "I know you guys will think I'm crazy - but why don't we use that Frontline guy!"

I've always liked documentaries and I also like Frontline and I think on a gut level the mere sound of Mr. Lyman's voice makes you feel an element of solemnity and seriousness.

But *of course* it seems out of place in this movie - but that's the point - like other comments here this movie is in so many ways deeply serious and tragic and about the "human condition" - and here you've got this Frontline narrator voice out of left field describing these mundane things and people as if it's some nature documentary.

So it's satire. It's humor.

It's just done with so much seriousness it's tongue in cheek as opposed to over the top in your face comedy.

Imagine if the voice over was like Eric Idle doing a news reporter in a Monty Python sketch - the *idea* of it's not so different than the voice over here.

But it would *feel* completely out of place in this movie whereas Mr. Lyman's voice matched well the serious/tragic tone of this movie.

So overall I see this movie as a deeply serious drama about deeply personal deeply sad issues that we all face in life, and this Frontline voice over is between-the-lines saying "don't take it so serious, can't you see it's funny - we're all just the same, it's okay".

So it's part of the genius of this film!

It's part of what makes the film artful, unique and special.