Collateral Beauty

If you want romantic drama that respects your intelligence, Collateral Beauty is available in Australia on Amazon Prime Video and Stan, and in the US on Kanopy right now. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. 5,565 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. The chemistry Will Smith brings to it is the real engine here. Put it on tonight on Amazon Prime Video and see for yourself.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Collateral Beauty is worth clearing space for. What makes Collateral Beauty work is that the obstacles feel real, not manufactured for the plot. Retreating from life after a tragedy, a man questions the universe by writing to Love, Time and Death. Receiving unexpected answers, he begins to see how these things interlock and how even loss can reveal moments of meaning and beauty. Will Smith and Edward Norton lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2016. Romance lives or dies on chemistry, and Collateral Beauty has it in the cast combination that the writers chose to put at the centre of everything. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Collateral Beauty is ideal for viewers who want romance served with real character development. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Will Smith is the anchor, and the work here is one of the more understated achievements in their career. The kind of thing you finish and immediately want more of.