The second trailer for Demolition still doesn’t seem to be doing any favors for the latest film from Jean-Marc Vallee, the director who previously brought us critically acclaimed films Wild and Dallas Buyers Club. Still, with those credits under his belt and with the help of Jake Gyllenhaal, maybe there’s something special to be found in Demolition yet.

Gyllenhaal stars in a familiar setup as Davis, a man who should be reeling from the sudden loss of his wife, but instead feels…nothing. Instead, he focuses his energy on disassembling appliances (it’s a metaphor!) and writing letters to a vending machine company because he just wanted his damn peanut M&Ms. Yes, it’s another movie about a broken man who needs a woman and / or a kid (in this case, both) to fix him. It’s not that the formula is offensive — it’s just that we’ve seen this kind of story hundreds of times, and Demolition doesn’t look like it’s doing anything new with it.

Also starring Naomi Watts, Chris Cooper and Heather Lind, here’s the official synopsis for Demolition:

Davis (Jake Gyllenhaal), a successful investment banker, struggles after losing his wife in a tragic car crash. Despite pressure from his father in law Phil (Chris Cooper) to pull it together, Davis continues to unravel. What starts as a complaint letter to a vending machine company turns into a series of letters revealing startling personal admissions. Davis’ letters catch the attention of customer service rep Karen (Naomi Watts) and, amidst emotional and financial burdens of her own, the two form an unlikely connection. With the help of Karen and her son Chris (Judah Lewis), Davis starts to rebuild, beginning with the demolition of the life he once knew.

Demolition played the Toronto International Film Festival last fall, where reactions were fairly mixed-to-negative. You’ll be able to judge Vallee’s latest effort for yourself when it hits theaters on April 8.

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