As with much Woody Allen, one is hard-pressed to assign genre or precedents and the same applies to the Cate Blanchett performance. Suffering the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to, this depiction of the ensuing sea of troubles perhaps places her in the same rarefied atmosphere populated by luminaries like Streep and Rowlands, who despite long resumes did not easily succumb to the tough act to follow problem. In one of the Best Performances by An Actress Who is Not his Wife in a Woody Allen movie, Cate Blanchett is just great. Without the trappings to which we have become accustomed, many of us would struggle to reinvent ourselves and survive (Lord of the Flies, Platoon, Straw Dogs) especially having had such good lines before the fall (and after), yet this seems the existential stuff real "acting" is made of. We are taught to try to "get ahead" so the character's fate seems cruel and unusual, especially since, as written so skillfully, she really didn't do anything so wrong, beyond perhaps being terminally human.
Reviews
48 Reviews
Crisis Management
6 July 2008
Warning: Spoilers
The humor implicit in the complete title proverb derives from the Sunday School dictum that one would be better advised to prepare before you're dead for the Devil's scrutiny, i.e. so the Devil doesn't care when you're dead. There's no percentage in trying to Beat the Devil. The characters apparently didn't pay attention at Sunday School, and find themselves forced into crisis management, having eschewed crisis avoidance. But even a seasoned CEO would have difficulty managing these crises. Throwing dice is far more unpredictable than flipping a coin; when people are involved, the list of possible outcomes becomes even longer than the long list of unforgettable Sidney Lumet films. Until now, Hawke may not have been an unforgettable actor but here perhaps had an eye toward earning billing among other Lumet All Stars like Steiger and Pacino.
Little Fish
(2005)
The Identity Thief
12 November 2006
Maybe identity theft affirms the irrelevance of who you think you are. All the world's a stage, and everyone is typecast. Apparently even someone with the reputed "range" of Cate Blanchett can't attract an audience by playing against (stereo)type, forced to measure up to acclaimed "classical" roles, like "An Ideal Husband" or "Elizabeth." Could even Brando "open" a movie? The characters in the film are stereotyped, as "risky." Even a great actress wouldn't be able to convince a loan officer to overlook a bad credit rating (even if only due to real identity theft), notwithstanding her ability to pretend to be someone else who can't pretend to be someone else. Is acting the last refuge of the identity thief? The film itself defied stereotyping, the ending revealing another genre, both good. The characters strive to rise above hard times. I wouldn't be surprised if compassion and despair could still coexist, like the Bible says, and here it still is news. Outstanding Neill.
The Sheltering Sky
(1990)
Tourist Trap
21 May 2006
One dilemma faced by the artist is that the same advanced civilization that threatens the artist's soul also does a very good job at protecting the artist's body. There's a reason why we have advanced civilizations; people living in primitive civilizations didn't like it. I guess a better "adjusted" artist could take the middle ground, that there should be more to life than the "essentials." Artists are particularly susceptible to ignoring the practical advantages of civilization; theirs is the most impractical of occupations. They build protection from the "elements" with their imagination. They can get away with it as long as society builds them shelter. But this makes for a lot of unhappy artists. Luckily for the rest of us, their unhappiness doesn't interfere with their productivity; some say they go hand-in-hand. At the end of the day, life is supremely impractical. Awesome Malkovich.
The Color of Money
(1986)
Redemption Songs
26 March 2006
In "The Hustler" talent didn't guarantee big money since "the house" not only took a cut but also decided who played and on what terms. Eddie walked away from "the business," the best in the world, with little to show for it, because he didn't want to become, like Fats, a robot who could drink but not get drunk, skip sleep and not feel tired. In this sequel he is depicted as having learned to hustle money on his own terms, within the rules, but without playing pool. He hopes to get back into it vicariously, as a "manager", but realizes what he really needs is to play. But he has to face the harshest reality: getting old. Now, matched against the best young players, he really is "a loser." But this time, he has money. This was maybe even more interesting than "Rounders" and "The Gambler," other good movies about unorthodox ways of "finding yourself."
Death and the Maiden
(1994)
Innocence Abroad
2 February 2006
Criminals are punished morally by their conscience and legally by the state. What about state-sanctioned crimes? Not only may the victim no longer have much faith in "the state" to essentially police itself but also the "state-sponsored" perpetrator may feel morally innocent. The unforgettable stories of outrageous evil in Polanski's "Chinatown" and "Rosemary's Baby" were arguably overshadowed by the incomparable acting and direction. Here the presentation, although good, is more conventional, so the plot takes center stage, with the focus, as I saw it, on retribution and psychological guilt/innocence. Does the ending depict justice? It seems unrealistic, but maybe was intended to highlight some of the limitations of a justice system for addressing the fundamental causes and effects of violence.
The Hustler
(1961)
Sympathy for the Devil: What a Character
20 September 2005
In this and Rossen's "All the King's Men," professional success was depicted as a dubious benefit of a devil's bargain, with many unintended consequences. "The Hustler" may have also been intended as a depiction of labor/management relations, so "character" may be synonymous with swallowing your pride and submitting to "the man." Of course, at the time this was made, some still thought Communism was a viable alternative. For those of us who aren't political scientists, these films also offer great stories (from great novels), scripts, acting, and direction. You may have to go along to get along, or you can try to go your own way. It doesn't pay as well, but there may be fewer costs.
HealtH
(1980)
The Health of Nations
20 August 2005
Some of the acknowledged Altman "masterpieces" seem sadder to me now. Maybe it's me. Like the last reviewer, I even like this "lesser" Altman (shown recently on FMC), although I don't think he was aiming at a wide audience. Organization politics as a "microcosm" for public campaigns. Some of this satirical "docudrama" is now dated, like Dick Cavett watching the Tonight Show, but I found much of the dialog funny and insightful (e.g. "You are for real. That means you're no threat to anyone"). The story isn't "profound," but I liked it. And the performances are funny, especially Cavett (as "himself"), Lauren Bacall as an aging conservative figurehead, Glenda Jackson (who actually became a member of Parliament) as a left wing ideologue (in the opening scene lecturing someone dressed as a carrot on the sanctity of politics), and Carol Burnett as a basket case. All in the inimitable Altman style, although maybe not quite as inimitable as usual. But pretty inimitable.
American Buffalo
(1996)
Land of Opportunity
24 July 2005
From the 1975 play, "common" people spout philosophy and psychology in street slang. By attributing middle-class "hang-ups" like greed, paranoia and vanity to "losers," Mamet dramatizes "our" similarity to "them" (we all have our investment "bubbles") and vice versa. Luckily for the audience, this is done within the context of a deceptively simple (if we can piece it together from the fragmented conversations) crime story (touches of O. Henry) and some uniquely funny dialog and situations. Good acting, esp Nelson. In a recent interview, Arthur Miller had decried how difficult it had become to be a "serious" Broadway playwright. Apparently Mamet saw the "writing" on the wall and turned to screenplays, and has managed to appeal to a sufficiently wide audience. Many writers have been less successful at that transition, as satirized in "Barton Fink."
The Merchant of Venice
(2004)
Debt Don't Have No Mercy
7 July 2005
Western literature, right up to and including some of the "great" novels of the early twentieth century depicted "Jews" disparagingly. Of course often omitted is that most opportunities for earning a living were denied them. So characterizing "them" based on what "career" choices they did make (besides the lameness of stereotyping) is the moral equivalent of the great line (paraphrased) from "The Big Sleep": he knocked my teeth out and then kicked me for mumbling.
The difficulty filming "authentic" Shakespeare is "dramatized" by the famous "quality of mercy is not strained." My (annotated) print version points out that "strained" meant "constrained." That makes this key speech more understandably about the benefits of mercy extending to the merciful. You should read a Shakespeare play before seeing even a good performance like this. An annotated edition. Once deciphered, this play, of course, rates ten stars, although I don't know if Shakespeare intended the resolution to be "fair." And most of the men come off as idiots compared with the women (thus a comedy?).
The difficulty filming "authentic" Shakespeare is "dramatized" by the famous "quality of mercy is not strained." My (annotated) print version points out that "strained" meant "constrained." That makes this key speech more understandably about the benefits of mercy extending to the merciful. You should read a Shakespeare play before seeing even a good performance like this. An annotated edition. Once deciphered, this play, of course, rates ten stars, although I don't know if Shakespeare intended the resolution to be "fair." And most of the men come off as idiots compared with the women (thus a comedy?).
Birth
(2004)
Metaphysical thriller: Don't Wake Me When It's Over
25 June 2005
Warning: Spoilers
I couldn't believe Nicole Kidman would appear in something so contrived, so I reconsidered the role of the coincidences. If I've stumbled on to what was intended, it's worthy of Charlie Kaufman or Philip K. Dick (is that good or bad?).
In religions, reincarnation is a punishment; another chance to atone and reach "nirvana." There is suffering for prior sins, but no awareness of previous "lives." "Birth," however, imagines that the coincidences (maybe written as "divine" or "psychic" interventions) enable the boy to slowly become aware of his previous incarnation, and then its sins. This time, his actions and sacrifice ultimately protect his ex-wife. In the end, she has forgiven the boy, although for a "trick" he didn't play. To a boy, the act of forgiveness perhaps would be enough, especially with the assistance of his psychiatrist, for him to resume a "normal" life. Hopefully any additional suffering caused his unwitting ex-wife wouldn't warrant "Rebirth: Sean 3."
Should movies be so confusing and complicated? Even Ebert couldn't come up with a single interpretation supported by all the "facts" presented. Is understanding a movie, like revenge, a dish best served cold?
In religions, reincarnation is a punishment; another chance to atone and reach "nirvana." There is suffering for prior sins, but no awareness of previous "lives." "Birth," however, imagines that the coincidences (maybe written as "divine" or "psychic" interventions) enable the boy to slowly become aware of his previous incarnation, and then its sins. This time, his actions and sacrifice ultimately protect his ex-wife. In the end, she has forgiven the boy, although for a "trick" he didn't play. To a boy, the act of forgiveness perhaps would be enough, especially with the assistance of his psychiatrist, for him to resume a "normal" life. Hopefully any additional suffering caused his unwitting ex-wife wouldn't warrant "Rebirth: Sean 3."
Should movies be so confusing and complicated? Even Ebert couldn't come up with a single interpretation supported by all the "facts" presented. Is understanding a movie, like revenge, a dish best served cold?
Cinderella Man
(2005)
One Way Ticket From Palookaville, and Dogville
21 June 2005
Braddock lost everything because of injuries and 1929. He didn't take it out on his family, or society or look for scapegoats. He got a second chance, culminating in a title shot in 1935, as a long shot (apparently 10-1). At about the same time, F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote "There are no second acts in American lives" (ironically, Fitzgerald was only considered "great" posthumously). The film "Dogville" proposed an America whose "true" ugliness would be exposed by poverty. www.nydailynews.com has reprinted some of its 1935 articles about the fight, including one that depicted a different America: "Braddock has been kicked around. He has been down and out on relief, and all but counted out in the game of life. He's an underdog of underdogs, a fellow who has taken his tough breaks without a squawk and has kept on punching - and Joe Public and his pals love this type of guy."
The Lady from Shanghai
(1947)
Through the Looking Glasses
18 June 2005
Surreal film noir released soon after the "real," genre-defining classics "The Maltese Falcon," "Double Indemnity" and "The Postman Always Rings Twice." Welles films shouldn't be evaluated against others. He was playing by different rules. In fact, he was playing. This starts where other femme fatale films leave off, so the vaguely logical (but interesting) whodunit is embellished with a display of Wellesian scenes (typical rapid-fire style), dialog (lots of "hard-boiled" philosophy), and unusual acting (good Hayworth presumably intentionally one-dimensional). To Welles "genre" may have meant "formula" but he seemed to like using "mysteries" as backgrounds for his "entertainments."
Respiro
(2002)
Unhappy Mother's Day
7 June 2005
"Frances" meets "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" in a mysterious story of a rebellious, compassionate mother which assumes religious overtones. The filmmaker didn't hide where he would come down on this version of McMurphy v. Nurse Ratched. It could also be viewed as a political story: how to prevent "disruptive" behavior? Should society try to change in response? The town seemed to feel it had overreacted in retrospect. It's easy to agree, in principle, but there might be difficulty striking a balance with "not in my backyard", in practice. But should "efficiency" be society's only goal? Very good performances, direction; unusual story, setting. I hope films like this continue to reach American audiences. Maybe we can thank the US critics whose support presumably translates into sufficient US viewers.
Birthday Girl
(2001)
Going' Home
3 June 2005
Good, funny, straightforward story, excellent Nicole Kidman (I almost always like the movies she's in). This was a good "vehicle" for someone adept at comedy and drama since there are elements of both. A romantic comedy wrapped around two crime stories, great closing lines. Chaplin, very good here, was also good in another good, but unpopular romantic comedy ("Truth about Cats & Dogs"). Maybe they're too implausible. Ebert didn't even post a review for this. The great "screwball" comedies obviously were totally implausible ("Bringing up Baby", etc.). If you've seen one implausible comedy, you've seen them all? Or maybe people are ready to move on from the 1930s. Weird. Birthday Girl is a movie I've enjoyed several times. Nicole Kidman may be the "killer app" for home video.
Sylvia
(2003)
Truth is Sadder than Fiction
31 May 2005
In this case, the tragic facts don't speak for themselves. Maybe the casting of the lead was an attempt to make the poem "Lady Lazarus" (excerpted at the beginning) come "true" again; the acting equivalent to channeling the enigmatic poet through a spiritualist. There was none of the "attitude" portrayed so well by Angelina Jolie in "Girl, Interrupted." Sylvia may have felt her bouts of jealousy were "justified" but she suffered mostly in private and didn't seem amused by her situation. Someone who had "everything" yet couldn't face disappointment. The ending remained puzzling on the merits, but maybe the genius of the portrayal was that it now seemed more like good fiction. Insomnia and pills were also presented as possible factors. Did her life guide her poetry, or vice versa?
A Streetcar Named Desire
(1951)
The Honeymooners, Episode III
26 May 2005
From New Orleans, 10 rounds, local rules apply, 10-point must. In the black trunks, Stanley Kowalski undefeated heavyweight champ. Kowalski, a hard hitter, is also known for psychological warfare. He's been accused of using "questionable" tactics but never punished, leading some to suspect officials are "in his corner." In white, the challenger, Blanche DuBois, lightweight, coming off a string of out-of-town losses. DuBois best known for defense, but is often distracted trying to protect herself against what isn't there. Can't take a punch. Decision? A knockout. Brando/Leigh, to the moon. Limited parking, public transportation recommended.
The Immortal Story
(1968 TV Movie)
Temporarily Like Achilles
21 May 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Recent airing of this (TCM) provided my last chance to see a Welles film for the first time. Do the "immortals" appeal primarily to the young? The definitive experiment, of course, is impossible. I'll never see "Citizen Kane" for the first time again. "The Immortal Story" is a short, dream-like parable suggesting (to me) that, in a transient "material world" stories immortalize our spiritual "genes," and that we need both. It employs the now-popular strategy of a story-within-the-story becoming the story. The verdict on Welles' "final bow"? Why we choose someone like him to be our god. (I wonder if a language could be constructed comprised only of Bob Dylan lyrics?). Maybe the meaning of "The Immortal Story" was left intentionally intangible. Maybe that's the point.
The Interpreter
(2005)
Mourning in America
18 May 2005
Complicated, but understandable (barely, I think) after a single theater viewing (how did DVD marketing let that happen?), although many, presumably intentional, "red herrings." Kidman and Penn very good (of course), especially considering the baggage the characters were carrying. I liked the way the good political thriller, personal drama, and commentary on senseless cycles of African violence were interwoven, although by juggling all three, it may not have delivered the same payoff as a film focusing on any one. Of course these three are always connected in "real life." "Excitement" feels good but there may be unintended personal consequences. The more conventional Pollack thriller, Three Days of the Condor, was less psychologically complicated and probably more "exciting." There was no obvious trace of Redford/Dunaway (also very good) in Penn/Kidman, but Pollack helps establish some continuity between the two acting generations. So, I guess marketing wins after all; the plot isn't the only reason for multiple viewings.
Kansas City
(1996)
Red State Blues
14 May 2005
Altman's version of 1930s Kansas City, depicting the contrasting lives of its citizens and the corrupting influence of unchecked power. The "leaders" fight to exploit each other and those who serve them; the latter are expendable. Meanwhile, the most exploited of all are busy inventing jazz. Memorable performances by Leigh as a tough, honest "ordinary" person and Richardson as a clueless, detached "aristocrat." The weak really believed in the clichéd family/community values, maybe because they felt helpless individually. Like Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, the powerful "bestride the narrow world / Like a Colossus, and we petty men / Walk under his huge legs and peep about." They try to turn everything to their advantage. Obviously American society has improved since then. Maybe because of the WWII/Depression shocks.
Up at the Villa
(2000)
Out Of Human Bondage
12 May 2005
Pre-WWII European governments were staffed by bureaucrats or aristocrats who advanced by maintaining the status quo; by avoiding attention or destroying rivals. In this environment, the main character, a widowed British expatriate, has no options beyond a marriage of convenience. In the confusion surrounding preparations for WWII, she encounters the elements of risk and life or death decisions, changing her options. Very interesting story, typically good Scott-Thomas, appropriately low-key Penn. Maugham liked to put his characters in traps and then see if he could get them out. Shades of "Casablanca."
Being Julia
(2004)
The Age of Illusion
11 May 2005
Growing old is something most Hollywood studios would probably like to outlaw for movie actresses. They would prefer to insert a Bob Dylan clause into their contracts: "and may you stay, forever young." Here, the lead character loses her gift for on-stage and off-stage illusion when her own illusions are shattered. Like other Maugham characters in despair, she even consciously undermines her own interests. She eventually realizes the young get by on illusions too. I've liked all of Annette Bening's performances. Here she is only occasionally familiar, effectively portraying strength, confusion, happiness, sadness, etc. As far as the waning appeal of "older" actresses is concerned, she must be another exception that proves the "rule." Good cast; Stevenson very good, as usual.
The Upside of Anger
(2005)
Paranoia Strikes Deep in the Heartland
7 May 2005
Paranoia could be viewed as supreme egotism: why would everyone follow you? Why would they waste their time? Most things happen for reasons that have nothing to do with you. One thing I liked about this was it placed "normal" people in unusual, stressful situations and showed how they might react. Unfortunately, we often don't get a chance to work out our reactions in advance, as characters in a script. But it would be helpful not to strike back unless attacked. Maybe the point here was that anger can be useful, but ineffective if used indiscriminately. As dramatized in this family, there is a difference between "speaking your mind" and anger. Interesting plot twists, some implausible to some viewers. The ending summed up the message for me: why am I angry?
The Friends of Eddie Coyle
(1973)
If you can't do the time, don't have friends who do the crime.
3 May 2005
Every now and then HBO feeds the illusion it's worth subscribing to for movies by showing one like this. Classic crime story featuring great performances, esp Mitchum as "working-class" hood whose life intersects with bank robbers, an aggressive cop and his informant. Set around Boston, this would make a good double bill with "Mystic River." The novelist, Higgins, was a Boston attorney, and this film has a realistic look and sound (I know Boston, although I know nothing about crime). Some of Higgins' paperbacks featured blurbs by Elmore Leonard, and as one of the other reviewers pointed out, one of the (male) characters in this story is named Jackie Brown! According to Higgins, Leonard, Hammett, etc., the most dangerous part of a life of crime is other criminals.
Adaptation
1 May 2005
I guess this adaptation must have been easier to write than the one in "Adaptation." Anyone who didn't grow up watching "the Gong Show" (which wasn't "reality" TV; it was an obvious put-on and I don't think any significant prizes were awarded) probably can't fully appreciate the absurdity of the premise here. But the writing isn't absurd, like the ingenious "truth" about "the Dating Game." And the acting and direction aren't absurd. If this were an original screenplay, it would be the equivalent for Kaufman of Picasso's early work as a conventional artist before he began "deconstructing" reality. Or maybe it was original; is Charlie Kaufman an Andy Kaufman of Chuck (Charlie?) Barris' imagination?
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