Why can't Dortmunder catch a break? It's bad enough for him that his capers always go awry in the great book series by master plotter Donald E. Westlake, but that's the joy of those fictions. But to have such lousy movies based on his exploits is insult on injury (and irks this particular fan).
The fact is that every Dortmunder flick I've seen has been awful, and this one is no exception. Okay, so they changed the character names (no doubt because the rights were tied up), but name aside, Walter Upjohn Ballentine is still a weird interpretation of the John Archibald Dortmunder from the books. Where did that lisp come from? And the crazy eyebrows? Did Scott contribute those affectations or was he directed to do so? Scott might have actually been good had he played the character as written, but this whole movie is so misdirected (in every sense) and miscast I wonder why they even bothered. It's so strange. Westlake's Dortmunder novels could practically be shot as written (with little trimming for time considerations), yet the filmmakers who tackle these undertakings seem bent on ignoring the timbre of the books and making unwatchable crap.
In the books the characters are much more calm, cool and collected. Everyone in this is shrill, stupid and over-the-top.
Best avoided.
The fact is that every Dortmunder flick I've seen has been awful, and this one is no exception. Okay, so they changed the character names (no doubt because the rights were tied up), but name aside, Walter Upjohn Ballentine is still a weird interpretation of the John Archibald Dortmunder from the books. Where did that lisp come from? And the crazy eyebrows? Did Scott contribute those affectations or was he directed to do so? Scott might have actually been good had he played the character as written, but this whole movie is so misdirected (in every sense) and miscast I wonder why they even bothered. It's so strange. Westlake's Dortmunder novels could practically be shot as written (with little trimming for time considerations), yet the filmmakers who tackle these undertakings seem bent on ignoring the timbre of the books and making unwatchable crap.
In the books the characters are much more calm, cool and collected. Everyone in this is shrill, stupid and over-the-top.
Best avoided.