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Archive for November, 2007

A Month (or two) of D’Onofrio Comes To An End

By
Dave
Published: November 30, 2007Posted in: UncategorizedTags: , , , , ,

I hate to say it, but Vincent D’Onofrio Month has come to an end. What have I learned from Vincent D’Onofrio Month? I actually did not know who Vincent D’Onofrio was until it was suggested that I review some of his movies. When I found out that he was Pvt. Pyle in Full Metal Jacket and that he has been in numerous movies since then, I was very intrigued. I wanted to know who he was and see how all of his performances were. I have been nothing short of amazed by his acting ability and range of characters. The depth that he has provided for the characters he has played is astonishing.

If you have not seen his movies, then now is the time. He is not the main character in a lot of them, but that is his style. From his beginnings as Pvt. Pyle in Full Metal Jacket to his current spot in Law and Order Criminal Intent on TV he has displayed one superb performance after another. He is know as an actor’s actor because he puts everything he has into it. He even worked himself to exhaustion during the filming of Law and Order at one point. He is serious about acting and it shows in the characters that he is able to develop and bring to the screen.

Some of my favorite performances were in Steal This Movie, Full Metal Jacket, The Whole Wide World, The Salton Sea, Impostor, The Velocity of Gary, Happy Accidents, Thumbsucker, and The Cell (that is if I have to narrow the list down to only 9). I think you get the point; he is an amazing actor and brings greatness to every movie he is in. Most of the time I am wishing that he had a bigger role in the movies that he is in, but that just shows how good he really is.

Although Vincent D’Onofrio Month is over, I still have a few movies of his to watch and will have those reviews posted in the future. Now that I know who Vincent D’Onofrio is, I will definitely be on the look out for future movies that he is in. The next one on the horizon appears to be The Narrows. It may be good or bad, but we can count on one thing at least; Vincent D’Onofrio’s performance will be great.

Special thanks to Tim for suggesting Vincent D’Onofrio Month.

Movie Review – A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints (2006)

By
Dave
Published: November 28, 2007Posted in: UncategorizedTags: , , , , ,

This review was requested by Stephen

What’s It About

One man’s struggle to overcome the harsh environment in which he lives. Robert Downey Jr. is Dito a young man growing up in Queens in the 80s. Shia LaBeouf is the younger Dito in the 80s and Robert Downey Jr. is the older Dito in present day. The story follows the younger Dito and his dealings with his friends, family, and enemies. Dito struggles to survive in the world he lives in and wants nothing more than to leave Queens to go to California. The movie cuts back and forth between the 80s and present day. In present day, Dito is going to visit his father who is sick and he has to deal with the past that he had left behind. The movie may not be that uplifting (not a Sharon Movie), but it is good.

How’d They Act

Shia LaBeouf is the main stand out actor in A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints. Shia displays extreme emotions from happy to sad to scared. This was one of his best performances to date and if you are a fan you should definitely check out this movie. Robert Downey Jr. was not as impressive. I often feel like his characters are not believable. It did not seem like his role called for as much emotion, but I would have liked to see some more emotion from him at times. Overall his performance was good though. He did have moments that required emotion and they were well acted. Chazz Palminteri was Monty, Dito’s father. He was rough around the edges and may have been a little over the top for what I would have imagined a father doing in the situations his character is in. He did provide a powerful performance though and one that is hard to forget. His acting was the strongest of the supporting actors. The acting overall was good, but not great.

Delivery

The movie is dark and sad. This makes it hard to get through at times because it does not seem like you are going to get out of Queens. That is the point though really. The whole movie you are wanting to get out of the muck that you are in and see the light at the end of the tunnel. It is not as dark and disturbing as Kids or Gummo, but it has some similarities because of the fact that kids are the main focus. The conversations and situations were believable and well directed. There were moments when awful things happened and the camera just skips those moments to spare you from total despair. I liked how the most emotional moments were kind of glazed over almost like the director wanted to suggest how Dito did not want to remember those times. The movie kept you interested the whole time with the switching between 80s and present time. The directing and overall was quite good and the story kept you hooked even though you often feel like you have seen this before. I have to hand it to the first time efforts of writer and director Dito Montiel. I look forward to seeing his next film Fighting which he also wrote and directed.

The Real Deal

This movie review was requested by Stephen and I am glad that he suggested it. I had looked at it a couple of times in Blockbuster, but I had not decided to pick it up. I think that the movie could have been a little more happy, but other than that it was a good movie. There is nothing here that really stood out, but it was well made and keeps you hooked.

The Skinny Version

Should you see it? Yes. 709,994 out of 1,000,000 Stars
Not a Sharon Movie!

Movie Review – Dan In Real Life (2007)

By
Dave
Published: November 27, 2007Posted in: UncategorizedTags: , , , , ,

What’s It About

Dan Burns (Steve Carell) is a widower with three girls trying to make a living writing his columns called Dan In Real Life in the local newspaper. The story starts off with Dan and his girls going to visit family. When he gets there he has a chance meeting with a girl (Marie) that he instantly has a connection with. They talk for a while and then she has to go when she gets a call. Little does Dan know that she is going to the same house he is staying at with his family because she is his brother’s (Dane Cook) new girlfriend. Marie (Juliette Binoche) also seems to have felt the connection between her and Dan and now they both have to deal with the situations that they are in while trying to forget their real feelings.

How’d They Act

Juliette Binoche does a great job as Marie and makes a character that is likable and not overpowering. There are times that she seems a little unbelievable, but she is down to earth most of the time. None of the characters seemed to require a lot of difficult acting, but rather it seemed like everyone was just having fun. Steve Carell is great in a more serious role. He was still funny at times, but mostly because of situations and not because he had created some quirky character. He was a very down to earth and normal person. This movie represents how I would imagine Steve Carell being in real life. He is funny, but not crazy like Jim Carey or Will Ferrell. He seemed funny like one of my uncles. It is a role that I like to see him in. Dane Cook actually did a good job here as well. He should stick with the less obnoxious roles like this one because it fits him well. I liked him in Mr. Brooks, and this is a comparable role. He is funny for a little comic relief here and there, but he is not in your face. Everyone is more down to earth and very much like a regular family mix rather than Meet The Parents or Meet The Fockers where everything is completely out of control. The acting was not amazing, but it made the movie quite enjoyable to watch.

Delivery

The directing is what made the film come together in a sensible way. There was enough realism to allow you to relate to the movie while at the same time enough craziness to keep you interested. The movie flowed very well and there were only a couple of times where I felt the “Meet The Parents” type of embarrassment for Dan. Movies that rely on simply embarrassing one character for laughter are not as funny as Dan In Real Life. There was also very little offensive material so it would fairly safe for the whole family. That is something that is important if you want to share the movie with people you know.

The Real Deal

This movie really hit the spot for me. I liked how it was down to earth and also how it was very clean as compared to other movies in the theaters. I guess they are going for more family oriented movies around the holidays. This is the type of movie that I would buy just to have another movie on my shelf that almost anyone could enjoy.

The Skinny Version

Should you see it? Yes. 712,439 out of 1,000,000 Stars
It’s a Sharon Movie!

Movie Review – Full Metal Jacket (1987)

By
Dave
Published: November 26, 2007Posted in: Action, Drama, WarTags: , , , , , , ,

What’s It About

The tragic Vietnam War; or at least that may be the way that it is presented here. The film starts off in the marine boot camp with Vincent D’Onofrio as Leonard ‘Private Pyle’ Pratt being humiliated at every turn. Gny. Sgt. Hartman (Lee Ermey) sets the stage with the most foul mouth you could imagine a Sgt. at boot camp having (or at least that I could imagine). The intense boot camp comes to a devastating end about 45 minutes into the film and then we swiftly move to Vietnam. The rest of the film follows Pvt. Joker (Matthew Modine) as he tries to find some action in a horribly disorganized war.

How’d They Act

Lee Ermey could not have had a more powerful performance in this movie. He was someone that you love to hate, but you have to laugh at while you are watching since the things he says are so ridiculous. Kubrick made an excellent pick with Ermey here. It also helped that the actors were not allowed to meet Ermey until the day of the shoot so the performances were much more believable all around. Matthew Modine does a fine job playing someone who is very serious about being the best that he can be at first and then after some horrifying situations he becomes Pvt. Joker; a suitable name for the way that he acts. I don’t have a lot to say about Matthew Modine in Full Metal Jacket, but he did do well. Vincent D’Onofrio is, in my mind, the true break out performance in this film. This is where he got his real break and no one can forget his performance once they see it. Well, maybe if you see any other movie with Vincent D’Onofrio in it and then see his performance here. That is what is truly amazing about D’Onofrio in Full Metal Jacket. At that point in his career he did not have a lot of experience on the big screen and to be one of the stars in a Stanley Kubrick movie was huge. He obviously spent a lot of time making sure that he did the best that he could with all of the weight gaining (a record 70lbs.) and characterization. All of the hard work paid off because he absolutely made the first half of the movie and catapulted his career on the big screen. His character changes over the course of boot camp and although very odd, it is very believable. Can you believe that this is the same actor that is in Steal This Movie or Law and Order Criminal Intent? Overall the acting is good, but Ermey and D’Onofrio were superb.

Delivery

There is no question that Stanley Kubrick was one of the best filmmakers of all time. He was able to make some of the greatest movies including 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, and The Shining. I have to hand it to Kubrick for having quite an imagination and amazing directing ability. The way that some of the scenes are shot in long continuous shots is beautiful. Most of the greatness of the directing in this movie was in the actual movement of the camera and the dialogue between the characters in the movie. There are tons of lines in this movie that are still quoted to this day. It was obvious that every film Stanley Kubrick made, was made with his complete attention and imagination poured into it. I only wish that he were still around to make more amazing movies like Full Metal Jacket.


The Real Deal

I have seen this a few times and it is worth watching over and over again. The message that Stanley Kubrick was trying to bring home was as clear as could be, but the way that he presents it here is much more bold than most others I have seen on the subject of the Vietnam war. If you want to see a work of genius, then you have to see all of Kubrick’s films including this one.

The Skinny Version

Raw Score: 902,732
Sharon Movie? No

Movie Review – The Cell (2000)

By
Dave
Published: November 26, 2007Posted in: UncategorizedTags: , , , , ,

What’s It About

This visual masterpiece is about a psychotic killer (Vincent D’Onofrio) who is killing young women that he kidnaps to torture and turn into dolls. Yes it sounds dark, but it is not all dark. It is actually quite visually impressive and has some good acting performances as well. Vince Vaughn is a cop trying to find the killer and Jennifer Lopez is a psychologist that is working for an organization that has the technology to allow people to enter other people’s minds in the hopes of returning them to a normal psychological state. When the cops are able to capture the killer, they have to find out where the last girl is before she dies. The only person that knows where she is (the killer) is in a vegetative state unable to talk. Now Jennifer Lopez has to enter his mind to try and find the last kidnapped girl.

How’d They Act

The acting was good, but there was not a lot to really let the characters come to life. Vince Vaughn does well in a serious role. He takes his stand as a cop and is not funny except for a couple of times. Vince Vaughn surprises me with film like this where he is actually capable as a serious actor and almost seems more fitted for it. Don’t get me wrong, I think he is funny so I still like to see him in comedies; this just displays a range of ability that will probably be often overlooked because of his comedic roles. Jennifer Lopez, contrary to popular belief, is not a bad actress. She does a good job here and allows the character to develop as much as she can considering there is little or no character development in the dialogue. Vincent D’Onofrio plays another interesting character unlike any other he has played and truly takes the role to the next level. Even though his character was not in the movie as much as others, his character is the one that you are really interested in because that is the focus of the film. Vincent makes the character interesting and brings him to life. The makeup and special effects didn’t hurt though. Overall there was not enough room for the actors in this movie. The movie stifled the acting and story for the visual presentation.

Delivery

So this is the only thing that the movie has to offer besides good actors that don’t get enough play time. With all of that said, the scenes are nothing short of tremendous. I loved the style that the film had, making the mind of a killer come to life in a vivid visual presentation that is worth watching even if it were a silent film. I would love to see how they created all of the scenes that they did and how they were shot. This is thing that really gets me in movies and so that is what really made the film for me. If you are not one to embrace the visual delight of a film, then this movie would not be for you.

The Real Deal

I have seen this movie a few times and every time I am amazed with the cinematography. There may not be much else that holds the film together, but it is worth watching again and again just for that. I would loved to have seen what they could have done with this movie with more character and plot development.

The Skinny Version

Should you see it? Yes. 732,756 out of 1,000,000 Stars
Not a Sharon Movie!

Movie Review – A Mighty Heart (2007)

By
Dave
Published: November 17, 2007Posted in: UncategorizedTags: , , , , ,

What’s It About

Angelina Jolie gives one of her best performances in this heart wrenching drama and true story. A Mighty Heart is the story of the life and death of Danny Pearl a Wall Street Journal reporter working in Karachi. He goes to get an interview from an Islamic fundamentalist and does not return. The events that take place are from the perspective of Mariane Pearl (Angelina Jolie), Danny’s pregnant wife and also a reporter. Mariane brings in as many people as she can and does as much research as she can to find her husband. This movie shows true emotion and feelings and feels very real. Angelina’s performance proves that she has true acting talent and the directing is superb. Here is the review of A Mighty Heart directed by Michael Winterbottom and starring Angelina Jolie.

How’d They Act

Angelina is the main character and is the only acting performance of significance in A Mighty Heart. There are a few other familiar faces, but their roles are much less prominent and since the movie is told from Mariane’s perspective, this makes perfect sense. This was clearly a difficult part for Angelina to play; requiring her to show extreme emotions throughout. Jolie does a tremendous job with the sad and happy emotions throughout. Her accent is also quite believable and only fluctuates from time to time. Accents are one of those things that are really hard to scrutinize since some people sound different in different situations. Overall she did a great job. Her performance in this movie deserves an award, but so far she has not received one aside from a nomination for Choice Movie Actress.

Delivery

This movie is some of Michael Winterbottom’s best work. It is rough around the edges and some of the props in the film are not from the right time period (although that is really not his job), but overall he did a great job. The emotion was in the right place and the comic relief was also where it needed to be. I liked the way that the movie was shot from almost a true standpoint of a journalist or documentary crew. This added realism that was very important. The moments that people delivered lines and the way that they did flowed very well and seemed very natural.

The Real Deal

This movie does not seem to get the praise that it deserves. It was a very difficult movie to watch because it was a true event, but it stirs emotions and delivers a heartfelt story. I was impressed with the realism of the characters as well as the scenery and visual presentation. Definitely worth watching if you can handle sad true stories.

The Skinny Version

Should you see it? Yes. 821,534 out of 1,000,000 Stars
Not a Sharon Movie!

Movie Review – American Gangster (2007)

By
Dave
Published: November 17, 2007Posted in: UncategorizedTags: , , , , ,

What’s It About

Frank Lucas is the American Gangster. You could also say that the movie is about the man who tries to catch him, Richie Roberts. The story follows the two men on their different sides of the law while Lucas is trafficking heroin and Roberts is doing the Serpico style good cop bit trying to catch him. I loved how the movie flowed and intertwined the two stories and ultimately brought them together. This movie was made for the masses and it appeals to the masses. It may have been a little rough around the edges (a little taste of Ridley Scott’s work), but it was nothing a few moments of my wife’s closed eyes couldn’t handle . Frank Lucas was indeed a very powerful man back in his day and Ridley Scott was able to capture the realism of these characters by actually being in close contact with the real men that the movie was about while making the film. Here is the review of American Gangster directed by Ridley Scott.

How’d They Act

Denzel and Russell were great in the movie and were excellent picks for the parts. Brad Pitt was in consideration for Richie Roberts, but I am glad that they went with Crowe instead. Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe seem to work well together (Gladiator) and so this probably helped solidify the character. Not to mention that Brad Pitt might have been a little bit too goofy for the part. Don’t get me wrong, Pitt is a great actor, but I think Crowe was a better actor for this role. Russell Crowe does a great job in this part and seems to have made a great effort to duplicate the real Richie Roberts with all of his practice with speech patterns and mannerisms. Then there is Denzel Washington who would have gotten paid if this movie had never come out the second time around. I have heard that he made $20 million the first time and $20 million again, however that does not seem to be the case; according to IMDB Denzel got the 20 earlier and then some money from Inside Man. Anyway, how was his acting.?Well Denzel impressed me with this role. I saw a little bit of Training Day in this movie, but certainly not as dark a Washington as that performance was. I enjoyed seeing him in this role because I think he plays a good bad guy and especially one that is supposed to be a gentleman as well. The acting was great through the line from Washington to Crowe to Chiwetel Ejiofor, Josh Brolin, and Cuba Gooding Jr.

Delivery

Ridley Scott adds a little bit of his edge to a movie that was in the bag from the beginning. It almost seems like it is too easy for Scott to make a tremendous film. He is coming out with a movie a year now and he has had some great ones in the past (Alien, Blade Runner, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, and recently The Kingdom just to name a few). I loved how the movie was following the two stories at the same time and cutting back and forth. This allowed for just the right amount of character development to lead up to the two finally meeting. The edginess that Scott provides allows you to see the terrible things that Frank Lucas’s business actually did do to people, but does not slow the movie down in anyway or even make you focus on the drugs. I am glad that Ridley Scott was selected to make this movie the second time around because he did an excellent job. The only complaint that I have about the directing or the movie for that matter is a weird one; it seemed like the movie was almost too polished. I know this sounds weird, and even hard to explain, but it seemed at times that the movie has been edited and edited over until it almost seemed a little too refined. Maybe I just saw the previews too much or knew that this was the second time the movie was going into production. I am sure that most will not agree with me, so I will just leave it at that. Overall a tremendous directing job.

The Real Deal

I paid $18 for the student tickets! The ticket price went up again just in time for the holidays. Wow, it just doesn’t stop. I guess we have to pay Denzel Washington somehow though. It was a great movie though and well worth seeing. It may have been rough to watch for some because of all of the drug use throughout, but if you can make it through those brief disturbing images the story was excellent along with great acting and directing.

The Skinny Version

Should you see it? Yes. 878,982 out of 1,000,000 Stars
Almost a Sharon Movie!

Movie Review – Steal This Movie (2000)

By
Dave
Published: November 17, 2007Posted in: UncategorizedTags: , , , , , , ,

What’s It About

Abbie Hoffman (Vincent D’Onofrio) is against the war in Vietnam and speaks out about it. He organizes large groups to protest the war and gets into a lot of trouble with government agencies. The movie follows the story of Abbie Hoffman through flashbacks and interviews. It almost reads like a documentary at times, but it is too wild and crazy to be a documentary. There is really not a lot to it without going into who Abbie Hoffman is and what he did, but that is why you need to see it. It was a great movie that was definitely worth the watch. Here is the review of Steal This Movie starring Vincent D’Onofrio.

How’d They Act

I will save the best for last (D’Onofrio of course). The acting was good overall with no standouts besides D’Onofrio. I really don’t know what the actual people were like, so it is hard to really know whether or not anyone did a good job of acting in respects to being their real life counterpart. Janeane Garofalo plays the role of Anita Hoffman and did well in this movie with her believable portrayal of Anita. I am not usually a fan of Garofalo, so at times I was even a little impressed with her acting in Steal This Movie. I probably do not give her as much credit as she deserves. The character of Anita was interesting, but seemed like a sort of a push over and I had a hard time believing that Anita was as happy with everything that Janeane portrayed her to be happy with. This is of course only based on the fact that it does not seem logical for a person to act the way that she did; however, it is quite possible that Anita actually did act this way in real life. Lets just say it was a good performance. Jeanne Tripplehorn was Johanna Lawrenson, Abbie’s girlfriend when he was underground. She did well and played a relatively large part in the film, but the real star of the show was Vincent D’Onofrio. I am glad that he was, because he did a great job. He seemed like he was made for the part of Abbie Hoffman. Maybe it was easier for him to play this part than some others that he has had like Valentino in the Velocity of Gary, but I was still impressed with his intensity in this film. I think this was actually a similar character as in other movies, but expanded into a more extreme and much larger role. This is some of D’Onofrio’s best work. If you are a fan of Vincent D’Onofrio, then you have to see this movie. You can tell he had a lot of fun with this movie.

Delivery

The directing and editing could have been better. At times the documentary style works, but other times it seems like it a little to much. The movie begins to drift a little when the sequences of the interviews mix with the past. The directing was good however in the respect of keeping the characters alive. I felt like I was connecting with the characters fairly well and therefore the weird time shifts were most often overlooked. The problem with this style may be that it makes the movie seem much longer than it actually is. Overall well directed and edited.

The Real Deal

I wanted to see a movie with Vincent D’Onofrio in the main role and that is what I got here. I was happy to see him in the large role that he was in and the movie was great because of his performance. I would really like to see D’Onofrio make more movies like this one in the future.

The Skinny Version

Should you see it? Yes. 712,439 out of 1,000,000 Stars
Not a Sharon Movie!

Movie Review – Dying Young (1991)

By
Dave
Published: November 15, 2007Posted in: UncategorizedTags: , , , , , , ,

What’s It About

Dying Young is about a wealthy man (Victor Geddes) with leukemia who is looking for someone to take care of him. Enters Hilary O’Neil (Julia Robers) who is fresh off of a breakup with her sleazy boyfriend and dealing with her overly obnoxious mother. She decides to look for a job and the first one that she finds is the one that Victor is offering. At first it seems like she is not going to get the job because she is not a nurse, but then Victor hires her for her looks (basically). She finds that dealing with someone going through Chemotherapy is a lot more difficult than she was really up to. She thinks about leaving, but Victor begs her to stay and tries to get her to fall for him. He enjoys her company more than just for her care for him, and he falls for her. He decides to take her on a trip so that he can “recover” from his Chemotherapy. Little does she know that he has other intentions for taking her on the trip. This is a drama, so don’t think that means he is going to kill her or something. So here is the review of Dying Young directed by Joel Schumacher.

How’d They Act

This is where the movie really shines. Julia Roberts is one of my favorite if not my favorite actress. She has a range of ability that proves that she can handle almost any role. This movie is no exception to that. Her character of Hilary O’Neil was a little over done, but this seems to stem more from the story and directing. In the beginning of the movie she is characterized as a free spirited young women looking for her way through life. Then she finds that her boyfriend is cheating on her and has to find a way to make a life for herself. This is when she goes for the interview. This role must have been hard to play since she had to be so rough in the beginning and then be so nice by the end. A very dynamic character and a grand performance. Campbell Scott is Victor Geddes does a great job as well. He does as good as he can with the part that he is given. I found his acting to be believable. It would have to be difficult to act like you have leukemia. Oh yeah, Vincent D’Onofrio is in this movie also. He plays the part of Gordon, the crazy towns person who would love to steal Hilary away from Victor. Unfortunately Vincent does not get a lot of screen time, but every minute he does he steals the show. His performance was interesting and alive which definitely helped to lighten the mood and make the movie more interesting. His character did not have time to be a dynamic one, but Vincent did a great job with the role as usual. The acting overall was great and the biggest redeeming quality of the movie. Without the good performances by the three biggest parts, the movie would have struggled to keep people in the theater I would imagine. Here is a little taste of D’Onofrio making the movie more interesting:

Delivery

Joel Schumacher needs to stick with work like he has done with Flatliners and The Number 23. I thought that both of those movies were really good. I do not believe he has much of a talent for the sad drama. I did like how you could immediately tell that the movie was made in the early 90s; congratulations Joel. It had good moments and really the way that it was directed was mot too bad, but the music and unbelievable characters truly pulled the quality of the movie down. I have to believe that Joel could have kept this from happening if he had tried to, but maybe this is just not his cup of tea. Like I said earlier, the only thing that really kept this movie going was the acting. The environments and story flow were weak at best. I would recommend that you see Flatliners or The Number 23 before you see this, but they are completely different movies so the may not be your fit; I just think they are a better fit for Joel Schumacher.

The Real Deal

Another movie for Vincent D’Oonfrio month that had him in it less than I had hoped. I did like to see an earlier performance of Julia Roberts. She did well and made the movie worth the watch, but the movie did not have much else to offer.

The Skinny Version

Should you see it? Maybe. 562,120 out of 1,000,000 Stars
Not a Sharon Movie!

Movie Review – The Player (1992)

By
Dave
Published: November 11, 2007Posted in: UncategorizedTags: , , , , ,

What’s It About

Griffin Mill is a studio executive that begins getting threats in the mail. Griffin decides that he has to take action and find the person who is threatening him. The story follows Griffin as he gets himself more and more tangled into a mess with all of the blackmailing and lies and deceit. At the same time it seems that his job is in jeopardy. All of this comes together to make a presentable movie with some interesting suspense and twists and turns.

How’d They Act

Tim Robbins is Griffin Mill and does a great job at it. He can be a very good actor when he tries to be. I am personally a fan of Tim Robbins and his work. This movie shows some of his earlier efforts and ability as a lead role. His surprised and scared face is priceless. He is very convincing as a person that is actually beyond caring whether they are going to get caught, loose their job, or die even. Whoopi Goldberg is the detective in charge of investigating a murder which Griffin is the prime suspect for. She is not funny in this movie, but then again when is she really. I think that is what was intended when she was casted, but I just do not find her funny. Beyond that, I really can’t take her seriously. The real actor in this movie was Vincent D’Onofrio; what an explosive and powerful performance. I think he was in the movie for about five minutes, but they were good. I know I have been paying attention to him more than other actors because it is D’Onofrio month, but he did really well in this movie. Again the only complaint I had was that he was in it for such a short time. I would have to say that his range of acting ability far exceeds most of the actors in this movie even the ones that were playing themselves because it was at a movie studio. Overall the acting was good and made for an interesting movie, and Tim Robbins did a great job as Griffin Mill. The only question I ask myself is how would the movie had been if Tim Robbins had been David Kahane and Vincent D’Onofrio had been Griffin Mill.

Delivery

Robert Altman did a good job here with the classic early nineties thriller. You could almost smell the early nineties. The movies at that time do not seem to age very well as far as the way that they look. The movie was suspenseful and well directed, so I have to give Altman credit for that, but I would not have complained if they had used better cameras (or a more stylistic presentation with the same cameras) and made the film a little darker. It felt a little too lighthearted at times. I think that Altman was trying to make sure that it had that aspect to appeal to more people especially since Whoopi was in it, but I think it could have been a lot better if it had not been that way. Overall, the suspense was there and there were not any glaring errors that made me cringe, so I would say a job well done even if a bit too much by the books for my taste.

The Real Deal

I watched the movie to see a good performance by Vincent D’Onofrio, but I got a good performance from Tim Robbins as well. It was well worth the watch.

The Skinny Version

Should you see it? Yes. 734,201 out of 1,000,000 Stars
Not a Sharon Movie!

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