It isn't often that one happens upon a movie as contemptible as Mike Figgis' "The Loss of Sexual Innocence". Mike Figgis has always been a pretentious and overreaching director and screenwriter. His past successes have largely been due to excellent source material and some genuine talent with regards to his technical ability as a director. When these items were combined with truly excellent performances, such as Cage and Shue in "Leaving Las Vegas", Figgis' has managed to produce a legitimately good movie. None of the above is true for "TLoSI".
First off, Mike Figgis might think his life is interesting, and perhaps it is, but his own telling of his sex life is dreadfully boring. At least he certainly makes it out to be that way. Sex is almost always a great topic for a movie (even when you show absolutely nothing graphic) because it is such an integral component of the human condition. And yet, in this movie, with all its handsome players, it's mind numbingly dull and extremely anti-erotic.
I think possibly the biggest problem that plagues this movie is Figgis' own inability to identify or empathize with other people. This is noticeable in his writing and direction in other movies, but in those cases it appears intentional and provided an unflinching look at disturbing subject matter. This movie actually seems to shed some distressing light on his earlier work as it appears that his detached style of storytelling is, in fact, a flaw. In scene after scene, we treated to imagery that is supposed to evoke emotional understanding, yet the scenes are comprised simply of clichéd approximations of legitimately provoking imagery. It is not unlike watching a sociopath feign remorse or guilt; they might say all the right things and perform all the right actions, but it still comes across hollow and insincere.
Now, take all the above and combine it with editing that is full of self aggrandizing nonsense. Soaring music lingers over a minute of watching an Alitalia jet on approach. A series of ridiculous Adam & Eve sequences that culminates in one of the few unintentionally hilarious moments where there is actual filmed urination and, in just one of a hundred disjointed scenes, a totally untalented Julian Sands spewing standard Hollywood token eco-nonsense. And yet, none of what I have written can convey just how awful this movie really is; avoid it at all costs.
First off, Mike Figgis might think his life is interesting, and perhaps it is, but his own telling of his sex life is dreadfully boring. At least he certainly makes it out to be that way. Sex is almost always a great topic for a movie (even when you show absolutely nothing graphic) because it is such an integral component of the human condition. And yet, in this movie, with all its handsome players, it's mind numbingly dull and extremely anti-erotic.
I think possibly the biggest problem that plagues this movie is Figgis' own inability to identify or empathize with other people. This is noticeable in his writing and direction in other movies, but in those cases it appears intentional and provided an unflinching look at disturbing subject matter. This movie actually seems to shed some distressing light on his earlier work as it appears that his detached style of storytelling is, in fact, a flaw. In scene after scene, we treated to imagery that is supposed to evoke emotional understanding, yet the scenes are comprised simply of clichéd approximations of legitimately provoking imagery. It is not unlike watching a sociopath feign remorse or guilt; they might say all the right things and perform all the right actions, but it still comes across hollow and insincere.
Now, take all the above and combine it with editing that is full of self aggrandizing nonsense. Soaring music lingers over a minute of watching an Alitalia jet on approach. A series of ridiculous Adam & Eve sequences that culminates in one of the few unintentionally hilarious moments where there is actual filmed urination and, in just one of a hundred disjointed scenes, a totally untalented Julian Sands spewing standard Hollywood token eco-nonsense. And yet, none of what I have written can convey just how awful this movie really is; avoid it at all costs.