Whether Smith has a thing for emotionally manipulative stories, or this is his version of playing to the awards gallery, he should realize this is not working. It looks like he didn’t learn the right lessons from his Seven Pounds. Hope he does from this one.

…the story of the movie is different than most “Christmas” movies. The film is crisp and tries to be earnest. It does its best to make you “feel” things. However, underplaying the emotions a little may have gotten better results. The background score of the movies is fitting and the chemistry between the characters is something you can appreciate.

The film has an interesting idea, but the way the feints are played out, you will feel suckered. There are far too many damaged people around and the methods employed for cure appear unethical and impractical. The script doesn’t manage to get one emotionally involved. The performers are the saving grace, though.

Avoid it like sin. This is not the kind of tripe you ought to subject yourself to. Great cast notwithstanding. Forgive them for they knew not what they did.

The absurd, logic-defying, and frankly unnecessary plot-twist cracks the thin ice this film was already treading on. Watching this film is akin to hearing the sound of nails on a chalkboard. One can only wish for it to stop.

The desperation to make something out of nothing was spilling over in the twist that didn’t fit with the film we just spent an hour and a half breaking our heads over.

Do better Will Smith. You deserve so much better. We deserve so much better.

‘Collateral Beauty’ is a tearjerker heavy on emotions. But at times, it gets a little overbearing and even the dry humour employed makes the suffering feel endless. You hope that when the three actors enter Howard’s life, there would be some comic relief. But philosophy flies thick and fast, from minor characters as well.