Critical Path
Oct. 21st, 2005 08:57 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
talktoolooseSome people say when choosing movies to see they don't listen to reviews. But I listen. I listen very closely. I find that by reading two or three varying reviews, I can see through the individual biases of the reviewers and ferret out whether I will like the film or not.
For instance, the rave reviews of Tarnation made me pretty sure it was going to be a pseudo-artsy wankfest by an amateur and I was totally right.
The reviews of Imaginary Heroes were pretty bad. They kind of haltingly praised Sigourney Weaver's perforamance but I think too many reviewers just felt her reaction to her son's suicide was just not appropriate. Instead of tears and pained pledges to go on bravely, she and other members of the family make a lot of messy decisions and do hurtful, self-destructive things.
I read a small review in Toronto's gay paper Xtra! where the reviewer focussed on the direct, sarcastic and yet extremely warm relationship between Weaver and her surviving son, played by Emile Hirsch. Between the lines of the review, I got that I would like the movie. And I was right.
What I loved was the way that the film actually showed, amid the anger, hurt and stupidity, a huge amout of bravery in these characters and a tenacity that eventually leads to a believeable chance of recovery from their loss. With brilliant performances by Signourey Weaver and especially Emile Hirsch, the film manages to seem spontaneous though it is extremely tightly plotted (written and directed with insane poise by a first-time, 25 year old).
The movie is also very funny and sometimes funniest when it's most painful. Weaver refusing to get out of the funeral limo when they get home sits on the plush seat and stares knives at her hated neighbour noting she has a new gas grill. "She doesn't even have a husband and she gets a new grill?"
At one big turning point, Jeff Daniels' cold husband character, who has fucked up royally suddenly opens up to Weaver with his first "I love you!" of the movie and, instead of the violins swelling and them embracing, the moment happens as it really would. She looks at him with almost amused incredulity and says, "You have got to be kidding me."
The attitude to violence, drugs and sexuality is human and humane and completely eschews any false Hollywood moralization. Instead, real values and morality are hard-won by people who make a lot of mistakes on the way. The film shows that we hurt people for things they aren't responsible for and even so, forgiveness and love are still possible.
For instance, the rave reviews of Tarnation made me pretty sure it was going to be a pseudo-artsy wankfest by an amateur and I was totally right.
The reviews of Imaginary Heroes were pretty bad. They kind of haltingly praised Sigourney Weaver's perforamance but I think too many reviewers just felt her reaction to her son's suicide was just not appropriate. Instead of tears and pained pledges to go on bravely, she and other members of the family make a lot of messy decisions and do hurtful, self-destructive things.
I read a small review in Toronto's gay paper Xtra! where the reviewer focussed on the direct, sarcastic and yet extremely warm relationship between Weaver and her surviving son, played by Emile Hirsch. Between the lines of the review, I got that I would like the movie. And I was right.
What I loved was the way that the film actually showed, amid the anger, hurt and stupidity, a huge amout of bravery in these characters and a tenacity that eventually leads to a believeable chance of recovery from their loss. With brilliant performances by Signourey Weaver and especially Emile Hirsch, the film manages to seem spontaneous though it is extremely tightly plotted (written and directed with insane poise by a first-time, 25 year old).
The movie is also very funny and sometimes funniest when it's most painful. Weaver refusing to get out of the funeral limo when they get home sits on the plush seat and stares knives at her hated neighbour noting she has a new gas grill. "She doesn't even have a husband and she gets a new grill?"
At one big turning point, Jeff Daniels' cold husband character, who has fucked up royally suddenly opens up to Weaver with his first "I love you!" of the movie and, instead of the violins swelling and them embracing, the moment happens as it really would. She looks at him with almost amused incredulity and says, "You have got to be kidding me."
The attitude to violence, drugs and sexuality is human and humane and completely eschews any false Hollywood moralization. Instead, real values and morality are hard-won by people who make a lot of mistakes on the way. The film shows that we hurt people for things they aren't responsible for and even so, forgiveness and love are still possible.
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no subject
Date: 2005-10-21 01:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-21 04:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-22 10:20 pm (UTC)I think that's the best thing I've read all week, in a week of reading.
no subject
Date: 2005-10-23 02:37 pm (UTC)See you in 6 weeks?