‘Hateship Loveship’ mutes Kristen Wiig’s comedic chops

Kristen Wiig is Johanna, a shy and dowdy caregiver who’s tricked into developing feelings for a sketchy single dad (Guy Pearce) in this adaptation of an Alice Munro short story. Director Liza Johnson (“Return”) treats all the damaged parties in this tale with care: Ken, Pearce’s stumbling ex-con with a seemingly good heart; Sabitha (Hailee Steinfeld), his distant teenage daughter; and Sabitha’s grandfather (Nick Nolte), still furious with Ken for the death of his daughter in a boating accident.

But the extent of Wiig’s wallflowerishness is extreme — her performance toned down to a nearly mute volume — and it’s painful to watch as she embarks on what she thinks is an exchange of love letters with Ken (in reality, the authors are Sabitha and a friend).

Even Johanna’s eventual version of happiness is so servile and tenuous, it reads more as a cringe-worthy cautionary tale. Personally, I hope this is Wiig’s last sad-sack turn; it seems a waste to ignore those comic chops in the pursuit of this sort of Serious Acting.