I didn't like the first half of "Where'd You Go, Bernadette." The structure is uneven and the pacing off, with unsuccessful attempts at humor. Once Bernadette (Cate Blanchett) goes off on her own, to rediscover her artistic soul, the movie picks up.
The film is told from the perspective of Bernadette's 15-year old daughter Bee (Emma Nelson), whose voice-over narrative provides the glue to hold together the fragmentary story. Director Richard Linklater faces challenges that he is unable to fully overcome. Bernadette is never fully realized. It's like there are two versions of her and Linklater is unable to connect the young go-getter of the past with the vindictive, agoraphobe of the present. Blanchett's performance helps, moving the viewer's initial dislike to sympathy. She understands how to use pomposity to hide insecurity and excitability to reveal an awakening. Since I didn't read the novel by Maria Semple, I probably missed a lot of the nuance that goes with the written word. Nonetheless, watching Blanchett navigate Bernadette's character becomes a voyage of hope and self-discovery.
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