| 12/2/04
- From Ann: Let me say briefly that I loved the movie. I think Mike Nichols
took a huge risk, bringing this play to a different media -- it often
doesn't work, but in this case it works wonderfully. He had a phenomenal
cast, whose real talents were finally put on display for everyone to appreciate.
I've never been a fan of Julia Roberts--I felt she relied on versions
of her own perky personality. Mike Nichols wrung every bit of "Julia
Roberts" out of Anna, and she gave us a lonely, talented career woman--depressed
over the breakup of her marriage. Clive Owen, who could be Russell Crowe's
brother, gave us a thoroughly unlikable, self obsessed narcissistic Dermatologist,
who enjoys "playing" with peoples emotions. His performance
was very interior -- it is hard to project that kind of sleeziness when
you are as handsome as Clive Owen. Jude Law, also did extremely well as
a failed novelist named Dan who supports himself writing obituaries, and
who befriends a mysterious young woman (Natalie Portman) named Alice,
who is visiting from New York and is accidentally (we think) hit by a
car. Somehow, through the magic of the internet, these four previous strangers
connect. Portman does a wonderful job of swinging back and forth between
"lost little girl" and wiley, manipulative stripper, who uses
men for her needs. She is definitely not a victim here. Sex is the vehicle
by which these four relate to each other. There is much partner swapping,
impulsive sexual encounters, and the more often these encounters take
place, the less intimacy we see. The closer they get physically, the farther
apart they become. There is a twist at the end of the film that I can't
bring myself to describe. Hence, no spoilers in this review
I don't know how
this movie will play nationally. But one hopes that, like "Traffic"
a few years ago, people will choose to be uncomfortable, will be willing
to re-assess and think, for a change and the film, already a critical
success, will become enough of a financial success to come to the attention
of the awards "gods" If that happens, I see Golden Globe and
Oscar nods for all four actors and for the Director and Producer, Mike
Nichols. |
8/5/04 - From AICN: "...By far the best actor in the movie in Clive Owen. I know he is constantly the actor chosen "most likely to succeed," but in this movie I feel he meets his potential. He is somewhat of a sexual deviant, but you have a tendency to feel sorry for him. His scene in a sex chat room was fairly funny, and above all he happened to convey the pain he felt better than anyone else in the cast. Plus he (Spoiler) says the choice words "Fuck you and Die," even better than Steven Segal in "Hard to Kill." Anyway, I can't see this movie blowing anyone away. Not artsy enough for an art movie, and too much crass conversation for a mainstream movie. I admire Nichols attempt, but feel that it ends up with no one in the audience caring what really happens to any of these characters (sans owens)." Rest of Review HERE. Thanks, Laura and OC |