Nothing much happens in the way of events; so much happens in the way of feelings.
Producer Barry Jenkins might agree that this could be a companion piece to Moonlight.
Kids are usually the best actors and Frankie Corio proves it here. Paul Mescal matches her beat for beat and their chemistry is equal parts beautiful and heartbreaking.
The sequence set to Under Pressure will stay in my bones forever.
“This is our last dance. This is ourselves.”
This movie was made for someone like me.
I, too, was once a boy growing up on Long Island with family troubles who wanted to be a writer.
To some extent, I still am that boy.
To some extent, this was a good movie. It just wasn’t great. I wanted it to be - I was really rooting for it. It had all the trappings and potential. Somewhere along the line, though, the dots didn’t always connect.
Ben Affleck turns…
A well-made film that hasn’t aged quite as well. In 1988 I’m sure it felt groundbreaking and necessary, but today it feels a little like white savior Oscar bait.
Not one black character has a name, let alone much of a story or personality. The romance subplot sizzles but feels like a different movie entirely. Dafoe is miscast in a rare straight man performance; Hollywood was still trying to figure out what to do with him and he hadn’t yet…
I know it’s a comedy, but with conversion camps still operating around the country and in light of the current administration…I can’t help but view this as a horror film.
Maybe the biggest travesty of Oscar season was that this was not nominated for best score. Reznor & Ross are at the top of their game here and few others are even playing in their league right now. The writing, directing and acting sizzle and sweat right off the screen but it’s the music that’s still throbbing in my brain as I write this.
Had a memorable time working on this for a week in Oklahoma two summers ago. Shout out to all the cast, crew, and background actors for making something to be proud of.
This lives up to its lofty expectations. Just a phenomenally made piece of cinema on all fronts. Yet, like The Irishman, its length and pace make me wish it was a mini-series instead. It’s also quite a bleak story and thus a bit arduous to sit through. A worthwhile swim but make sure you’re well rested before diving in; I’ll need a rewatch when I’m not so tired.
