Collateral Beauty is an upcoming drama directed by David Frankel (The Devil Wears Prada) and written by Allan Loeb (Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps). Will Smith stars in the film as Howard Inlet, a grieving and troubled New York advertising executive forced to come to terms with a terrible tragedy. Howard thus begins writing letters to Love, Time, and Death as part of a therapeutic attempt to find meaning in the shadow of his own depression - only to find out that these perennial forces of nature are (apparently) willing to take corporeal form and speak with him directly.
Collateral Beauty costars Kiera Knightley (The Imitation Game) as Love, Jacob Latimore (The Maze Runner) as Time, and Helen Mirren (Trumbo) as Death. The rest of the film's cast is rounded out by such A-listers as Edward Norton (Birdman), Michael Peña (Ant-Man), Kate Winslet (Steve Jobs) and Naomie Harris (Spectre). Based on the footage previously released in the movie's first official trailer, things appear to be looking up in a big way for Frankel's latest directorial outing. The newly-released second trailer for Collateral Beauty is equally promising.
In the footage featured above, Collateral Beauty distributor Warner Bros. Pictures tempts viewers with a fantasy drama that promises to sweep them off their feet and remind them why life is worth living and celebrating - despite the most unimaginable of tragedies. For Smith, that struggle in the film comes in grieving for his late young daughter. For everyone else, Collateral Beauty aims to deliver a winning tale of spiritual and emotional reconciliation and triumph over even the most worrying concerns of daily life.
Given the film's fairly grandiose narrative premise and overtly melodramatic themes and ideas, Collateral Beauty might look a little too sweet and saccharine for certain viewers with a more cynical movie viewing palate. On the other hand, Smith has capably delivered compelling performances in the past as a dramatic actor (see last year's Concussion, for example), and his latest role appears to be another notch on an already well worn belt.
Frankel and Loeb might just be on to something in the making of Collateral Beauty, which could prove to be a winning holiday film when it makes its way to theaters later next month. Watching Smith try to fix his fragile mind in the new movie looks to offer the kind of heartwarming salve most needed by many during the early months of winter; and with any luck, your average moviegoer will feel the same.
Source: Warner Bros. Pictures
