It makes this tonal shift that would be tricky for a veteran filmmaker, and Scarlett Johansson, as great an actress as she is, was not ready for this.

“Great” would be overstating it: let’s call it Eleanor the Adequate. The directorial debut from Scarlett Johansson is hamstrung by timidity, lack of vision and a crippling need to be liked. It’s a wasted opportunity.

The plot is predictable and the look unmemorable, but Johansson has nevertheless crafted a pleasingly old-fashioned character piece with just enough bite to balance its emotion.

It's an imperfect but vibrant film, urgent and sustained by a performance that refuses to apologize. Just like Eleanor herself. [Full review in Spanish]