This is the must-watch jigsaw puzzle film you’ve been waiting for 🎞️

Let's make watching Puzzle (2018) a National Puzzle Day tradition! 🧩

To celebrate National Puzzle Day, I want to share with you a film that I just recently watched and absolutely loved. A puzzler friend recommended the indie-flick Puzzle, a drama about the world of competitive puzzling starring one of my favourite actors of all time, Kelly Macdonald. Of course, I had to watch. 🥰

Puzzle is a 2018 American independent drama film directed by Marc Turtletaub and written by Oren Moverman and Polly Mann. The film stars Kelly Macdonald as Agnes, a stay-at-home mother who discovers a passion for solving jigsaw puzzles, which leads her to seek out a new, more fulfilling life outside of her traditional role. The film explores themes of self-discovery, personal growth, and the search for fulfillment.

Agnes, a resident of rural Connecticut, leads a seemingly quiet and unremarkable life as a wife to an auto mechanic and mother to two adult sons. Though she maintains a tidy household and appears to be a devoted wife and mother, her lack of confidence and self-esteem have left her disconnected from her family, friends, and even herself. However, a jigsaw puzzle birthday gift leads her to discover a hidden talent for piecing together these games of fragmented images, which in turn opens the door to new experiences that make her question the way she's living her life.

Kelly Macdonald is simply brilliant as Agnes, capturing the character's inner turmoil and gradual transformation with a delicate oddity that is truly remarkable. Her performance is matched by an equally strong supporting cast, including Irrfan Khan as the puzzle maker who becomes Agnes' mentor, and David Denman as her husband, Louie.

The late Irrfan Khan gives a masterful performance, displaying a depth of emotion and complexity that is nothing short of spellbinding. Khan portrays Robert, a wealthy inventor who seeks a jigsaw puzzle partner for an upcoming competition. Agnes answers his ad and they become partners in both puzzles and life. He imbues the character with a quiet intensity that is both moving and relatable.

Director Marc Turtletaub has crafted a film that is equal parts heartwarming and thought-provoking. Puzzle is a film about finding oneself, about taking risks and about the healing power of connection. It is also a film about the importance of following one's passion, no matter how unconventional it may seem.

Robert: Life is messy. It doesn't make any goddamn sense. Sorry to break the news to you. Life's just random. Everything's random. My success, you here now. There's nothing we can do to control anything. But when you complete a puzzle, when you finish it, you know that you have made all the right choices. No matter how many wrong pieces you tried to fit into a wrong place, but at the very end, everything makes one perfect picture. What other pursuits can give you that kind of perfection? Faith? Ambition? Wealth? Love? No. Not even love can do that.

The film is a masterful blend of subtlety and nuance, with a script that never overplays its hand or resorts to melodrama. The pacing is slow, but never dull, and the film's understated approach allows the audience to fully invest in Agnes' journey. The film's final act, in which Agnes fully embraces her newfound identity, is a powerful and emotional climax that will stay with you long after the credits roll.

In short, Puzzle is a film that deserves to be seen by a wide audience - and not just jigsaw puzzle enthusiasts. It is a powerful, moving, and deeply rewarding film that showcases the talents of all involved. It is a film that will make you laugh, cry, and think, and it is a film that will stay with you long after you've left the theater.

Watch Puzzle (2018) now

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• How to frame a jigsaw puzzle 🖼️

Get involved! 🧩

I am a film buff and puzzle enthusiast in equal measure. I would love to read your review and opinion of the film Puzzle in the comments below! I will try and respond to as many comments as possible! 😃