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k_bradshawiii
Reviews
The Weight of Water (2000)
Sarah Polley deserved so much better.
I will only briefly echo the sentiment so widely agreed upon throughout these comments: Sarah Polley is absolutely amazing in this film. I always feel badly for actors when their greatest performances come in otherwise crappy films. It seems so unfair. It's like they're being robbed. Sarah Polly is done a grave injustice by this film, specifically, the modern-day portion of it.
The revelation of Polley's inner pain, loneliness, and need as expressed solely through her facial expressions in the bedroom scenes toward the end of the film were enough to demonstrate how too good for this movie she is ultimately proved. Polley and her supporting cast were phenomenal in this film, and so I rate it a 5 for the half of the film that actually deserved to be made.
Raising Victor Vargas (2002)
Touching
This really is a beautiful and touching little story. We watch Victor, a wannabe playa trying to prove his manhood in all the wrong ways boys tend toward in the ghetto, slowly evolve and display his vulnerability (an unforgivable sin according to the playa's code) to Jenny, the much coveted virginal prize to the local guys. Jenny is cold and brutal in an effort to protect herself in a cold, brutal, and misogynistic environment. She treats Victor terribly (and he sort of deserves it), but slowly they each begin to see each other. To truly see each other in spite of the blinders that ghetto culture tends to put on boys and girls when it comes to loving and respecting each other.
This movie is honest and beautiful and lovely and touching. And the young stars of this film, well, I expect to see more of them in the future.