Reviews

This film and "Amelie" are two of my most favorite films--both by Jeunat. I think they are both about Hope. Jeunat has a way of revealing character that is unsurpassed in my opinion. You sit there watching, thinking, hoping that you would do the same as his heroes. They have such courage. There is no doubt in their minds of what to do to help a child, or an old man. They step up to the task. One (in "City"), played by Ron Perlman, the American actor in the French cast, sets off to find the missing little boy who has come each day to watch him do his circus strongman act. That moment when he steps down from his 6-inch-high platform and into the "real" world to put his strength to test, it isn't his physical strength he uses, but his strength of heart. To help him in his task he gains the trust of a street kid who otherwise would never ever trust anyone after all the abuse she's suffered. A moment follows that I will not reveal, but to me it is the most devastating moment in all of cinema--something you would never see in an American movie. This is my favorite movie of all time. It exploits the medium as good art does, it has a sympathetic bad guy and an ideal, but still human, good guy--everything I could hope for in a great movie.

I loved this movie for a few reasons, but mainly because of John Simm. Please do more movies, John! He plays the librarian, Frank, who has to be the sweetest hetero male I have ever seen. He melts your heart. He is teamed with some real pros in Christina Ricci, Kyle MacLachlan, and John Hurt. And the actor with the funny name who plays Frank's friend is a joy to watch, too. This is good popcorn, escapist fun with its central sweet love story and quirky characters and an outrageous con. John Simm has done a lot of British TV--those lucky blokes. As for other movies, I loved the magic between Christina Ricci and Johnny Depp in "The Man Who Cried," a more serious, but very good movie.

In 1976, at 24 I thought I knew enough about gay men, but I was not aware of flamboyant male homosexuality. It can be difficult to watch the beginning of the film if you're like I was and never saw such behavior, but if you stay with it, it pays off big in very touching ways--and not only with regard to homosexuality but to living life in general. This film teaches you about yourself as good art always does. Note: Quentin Crisp (the main character) plays the part of Queen Elizabeth I in a film called "Orlando." And another movie that might be good to introduce someone to male homosexuality is "The Sum of Us" with Russell Crowe, though that film is more lighthearted and sweet than "The Naked Civil Servant."