Film Review – Wilson

“Wilson” has trouble with translation. The film is an adaptation of a graphic novel by Daniel Clowes, best known for his work on “Ghost World.” Paying tribute to Charles Schultz and his “Peanuts” comic strip origins, Clowes created a book of one-page adventures for his misanthropic hero, keeping Wilson a contradiction of self-awareness and actual behavior, finding darkly comic wonder in his daily life. Bringing that specific tone to the big screen proves too difficult for Clowes, with cinematic construction and emotional throughlines demanding more consistency than what this picture is willing to give. While boosted by terrific leading performances from Woody Harrelson and Laura Dern, “Wilson” is fatigued quickly, working very hard to sell an atmosphere of illness that, while insistent, isn’t all that compelling. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com