This is probably the point where anybody who's allergic to Wes's whole shtick starts to check out. The affectations are laid on thick and some of the actors are leaning in to the now familiar muted performance style.
It should be noted how much Gwyneth's work in this vein allows Margot to become arguably the strongest female role up to this point in the Wes canon. In Bottle Rocket and Rushmore the token women are figures to be desired, Tenenbaums…
It's really very sweet just how pathetic all these characters are. Even in the frequent battles over status between, say, Dignan and Andrew, Bob and his brothers, Mr. Henry and everybody, all the characters have a beautiful lame streak.
The one exception is probably Inez. Part of what Lumi Cavazos does to make her so magnetic is to have her be the one character in the piece with her head screwed on.
James Caan is a great favourite of mine…
It feels so harsh to speak ill of something that is so well intentioned and which will no doubt bring so much joy to people, but I found this thing to be totally mediocre.
I still haven’t read the novel, and my only prior experience of this story comes from Gillian Armstrong’s film version, which I know a lot of fans of the book (my mother included) have issues with.
I find Armstrong’s film on its own terms to be magnificent,…
There’s a setup about halfway through where Anora and the Armenian heavy want to drive to their next destination, even though Toros insists they walk. All the while, Igor casually plays with the baseball bat he’s snatched before tossing it into the water.
It’s a wonderful little moment, the blocking feels balanced but incidental, the humour has that screwball spirit but also comes off as perfectly natural. It’s a shame that there’s scarcely another moment in the film that lands…
