Directed in his usual heavy-handed over the top style, Friedkin simply fails to garner any interest in the story and characters and reaches into the realms of pantomime.
In more sophisticated hands there could have been a decent film here. There's enough in the source material. You get the feeling that the novel was probably quite good.
Sometimes the camera sits back and does not get involved in what's being said at all, as though without interest. The camera framing is without flair. Like a low grade TV movie. In other moments the direction is embarrassingly cliche. (The doll falling to the floor in slow motion).
The version I saw was the Director's cut so cannot compare it to the original.
Sometimes Friedkin's approach has worked wonders. The Exorcist being the obvious example and Sorcerer but here the killings and screaming are farcical as are the reactions of the grieved. His approach has been his undoing more often than it's worked for him.
Bug was another film where the subject matter required that over-the-top approach and worked but most of his films are simply heavy handed. He has no understanding of the word subtlety.
I really wanted to like it as I quite like Michael Been and have been searching for this film for years but it was very disappointing. Not a single decent performance or scene of note. The entire production felt forced and false.
It feels like a good story was ruined via the funnel of the director.
In more sophisticated hands there could have been a decent film here. There's enough in the source material. You get the feeling that the novel was probably quite good.
Sometimes the camera sits back and does not get involved in what's being said at all, as though without interest. The camera framing is without flair. Like a low grade TV movie. In other moments the direction is embarrassingly cliche. (The doll falling to the floor in slow motion).
The version I saw was the Director's cut so cannot compare it to the original.
Sometimes Friedkin's approach has worked wonders. The Exorcist being the obvious example and Sorcerer but here the killings and screaming are farcical as are the reactions of the grieved. His approach has been his undoing more often than it's worked for him.
Bug was another film where the subject matter required that over-the-top approach and worked but most of his films are simply heavy handed. He has no understanding of the word subtlety.
I really wanted to like it as I quite like Michael Been and have been searching for this film for years but it was very disappointing. Not a single decent performance or scene of note. The entire production felt forced and false.
It feels like a good story was ruined via the funnel of the director.