Tedious. Drawing out what is a clearly simple and tragic dynamic of exploitation into a painful, circumnavigate collection of anecdotes made into unmemorable sequences. I found myself thinking, man, just give this subject matter over to Taylor Sheridan. He would know how to imbue these characters with an authentic life. Scorsese felt overmatched by the western ethos.
There were still a lot of good things about this film. There is still an expert level of craft from Scorsese who always…
Coppola’s ideas are clear. At times, they’re on the nose and even cringey in their presentation. The script felt unwieldy, some dramatic moments ostentatious without being earned. There are moments though that aspire to a special level of filmmaking, and they’re magnetic, but unfortunately don’t quite get there.
The good stuff: strong performances from Driver and Emmanuel, bound with a desire for romance both intimate and grand. The premise inherent in the adaptation of a real event in Ancient Rome…
Complexly drawn characters performed with nuance and pathos by a stellar cast. Guided with grace by Jason Abrams. In a beautifully painted canvas of cinematography, sound, and score. Moody, thought-provoking, and penetrating. Can’t wait to see what Abrams has up his sleeve next.
