Okay. It's tragedy and ... here's the really clever bit ... it's set in GREECE (Geddit?).
The Daily Telegraph (Tim Robey) gave it four stars. The Guardian (Steve Rose) gave it three. The problem is that it is beautifully crafted by Hossein Amini. The photography is flawless. The acting is first rate and I think Kirsten Dunst should have been Princess Grace. But at the end of the day the script is weak ... well no - not weak as the dialogue is excellent. It's the plot that fails as with many American movies the setup is great. The situation challenging. But the Denouement is all a bit of a let down. Worth a watch for sure for the performances alone. An almost love story set against a backdrop of the extraordinary Indian system of delivering lunches which "never goes wrong". Those dabbawallahs are clever blokes indeed. I thought it was beautifully made and acted. You could feel the yearning to escape her life so profoundly. Nimrat Kaur is brilliant.
As with a lot of allegorical cinema, I think a lot of it goes over my head. But then it lingers in my mind as my brain attempts to unravel it, not entirely successfully I admit. It asks questions. I am still thinking about it. Visually powerful and mesmerising to watch. Scarlett Johansson is brave to have taken the part and spellbinding. Her acting ability is mesmerising as is her beauty.
In some ways this feel reminded me a bit of "Holy Motors". Very powerful. I find prison movies incredibly disturbing and don't know why I watch them.
Everyone in the cinema seemed to think this film was hilarious - apart from me. It had no depth. A bit of a ripping yarn. More like a ripping yawn actually.
Oh ja! Zis voz a wery good movie. Herr Geoffrey Rush is ein gut actor unt so is die jung girl Sophie Nélisse. But die most brilliant thing voz that they alle spoke mit German accents because der movie voz set in Deutschland! Vot a bloody brilliant idea! Otherwise wir might have forgotten that these volks were Germans! Mein Gott do they think wir are alle that dumpkopf?
Sold out ... couldn't get in. I believe I did not miss much.
I am astounded this film is such a hot favourite at the Oscars. The plot was silly. Sandra Bullock does a good job and yes, the special effects are, at times, extraordinary. The ending was beyond ridiculous.
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James EwartFilms that I have enjoyed and some that I have not. Archives
June 2014
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