The genuine chemistry between the two leads (who are both close friends in real life) is the only good thing about this notorious abomination. Every other element, though, is one painful eyesore lumped onto another, and I've never seen a movie as short as this struggle so hard to get to the finish line in its last act. Kevin Smith's obsession with Canada didn't amount to much.
Favorite films
Recent activity
AllRecent reviews
More-
-
Rudy: The Rudy Giuliani Story 2003
Hilariously attempts to portray its title subject as an honourable, patriotic crimefighter who deeply loved his city, only to spent much of its runtime contradicting its thesis by focusing on Giuliani's philandering and other scandals. The casting of James Woods just adds fuel to that fire, as his abrasiveness makes the former mayor seem like not such a decent guy after all, as exemplified by Giuliani's many outbursts directed towards his inferiors. 2003: a weird, weird time indeed.
Translated from by
Popular reviews
More-
Testament 1983
The onslaught of post-nuclear apocalypse dramas in the early 1980s meant that if you were going to make one, it had to be its own distinct thing. The Day After was the all-encompassing melodrama, while Threads was stripped-down realism in all its gruesomeness. What makes Testament stand out is its blend of melodrama and minimalism, the latter the result of its low budget – it was originally a made-for-tv film that got picked up by Paramount and placed into a…
Translated from by -
Vengeance Is Mine 1984
Harrowing and devastating all around, made such not just by the excellent directing, but also by the otherworldly acting that leaves just as much unsaid as there is to be said, and it's that commitment and underlying mystery that weaves together the themes of mental illness, American domesticity, parental trauma, Catholic guilt, and gender roles, among many others, into an almost indescribable whole. I really hope the Criterion Channel puts out a collection of other American Playhouse productions, because that's proven to be a terrific source for film discovery.
Translated from by
