PT Anderson has always intrigued me to varying degrees. I thought "Hard Eight" was interesting but ultimately rather forgettable (I'm anxious to see it again soon to give it another chance). I enjoyed the epicness of "Boogie Nights" but wished it had gone deeper into it's numerous characters' souls. I believe "Magnolia" to be not only his masterpiece but one of the best American films of the last 20 years. So it was with great interest that I went to see this film. I've always liked Adam Sandler (Billy Madison excepted) and it came as no surprise to me that he had this kind of performance in him.
While watching, I was utterly amazed by Anderson's mastery of his craft. Technically, this film looked great, was extremely effective in it's use of mood music, differentiating of tempo and the use of a color palette as expressive as "Ju Dou" and "Blue".
I personally despise when people reveal specifics of plot when reviewing films so I prefer to always be very general in that regard. Suffice it to say that the film is completely unique in terms of the series of events that occur. You've honestly never seen a movie quite like this.
Despite all these positives I was initially left somewhat unsatisfied by the film. My problem was that I didn't believe these characters were truly in love. This seemed to be at odds with the expectation I was seeing a love story. I believed they were physically attracted to each other and were both desperate and needy. These things don't add up to true love for me. I couldn't see them sustaining a lifelong partnership based on such a flimsy foundation.
Watson's character says that she saw a picture of Sandler and that was why she wanted to meet him. Sandler and the audience never learn anything significant about her personality and he doesn't appear to care to find out. Their love is of a surface nature.
It was because of this that I first had the reaction that this film while important for it's groundbreaking melding of disparate cinematic idioms was a case of stunning style over middling substance.
Upon reflection a few days later, I've come upon a realization that perhaps the issue is one of intent. In looking at the story as an examination of the tenuous bonds a great majority of modern love stories are built from, I've come to wonder whether the film is as hopeful and optimistic as it appears.
Anderson's other films while celebrating deep interpersonal connections have always been cynical in their portrayal of how transient those attachments ultimately are. He and I apparently share this complex mixture of idealistic disillusionment. I consider myself a hopeless romantic who's nevertheless well aware that the outside world has the ability to shatter perfect bliss at any moment.
Being in love with Fiona Apple, a very popular and beautiful singer/songwriter, must give Anderson this same kind of awareness of how difficult it is to keep a relationship going strong in this often cruel (dare I use the overdone phrase "Post 9/11") world.
So instead of a love story, we have a filmmaker who I feel is presenting us with something infinitely more interesting and important. A film that reminds us of old fashioned Hollywood versions of love with the full knowledge that the world changing around us has made those quaint notions of love all but impossible.
That isn't to say he (and I) don't believe in love but rather that real, lasting relationships bear little resemblance to those you see in the movies. When you're lucky enough to be truly in love you see right through cute, empty depictions of the real thing.
While watching, I was utterly amazed by Anderson's mastery of his craft. Technically, this film looked great, was extremely effective in it's use of mood music, differentiating of tempo and the use of a color palette as expressive as "Ju Dou" and "Blue".
I personally despise when people reveal specifics of plot when reviewing films so I prefer to always be very general in that regard. Suffice it to say that the film is completely unique in terms of the series of events that occur. You've honestly never seen a movie quite like this.
Despite all these positives I was initially left somewhat unsatisfied by the film. My problem was that I didn't believe these characters were truly in love. This seemed to be at odds with the expectation I was seeing a love story. I believed they were physically attracted to each other and were both desperate and needy. These things don't add up to true love for me. I couldn't see them sustaining a lifelong partnership based on such a flimsy foundation.
Watson's character says that she saw a picture of Sandler and that was why she wanted to meet him. Sandler and the audience never learn anything significant about her personality and he doesn't appear to care to find out. Their love is of a surface nature.
It was because of this that I first had the reaction that this film while important for it's groundbreaking melding of disparate cinematic idioms was a case of stunning style over middling substance.
Upon reflection a few days later, I've come upon a realization that perhaps the issue is one of intent. In looking at the story as an examination of the tenuous bonds a great majority of modern love stories are built from, I've come to wonder whether the film is as hopeful and optimistic as it appears.
Anderson's other films while celebrating deep interpersonal connections have always been cynical in their portrayal of how transient those attachments ultimately are. He and I apparently share this complex mixture of idealistic disillusionment. I consider myself a hopeless romantic who's nevertheless well aware that the outside world has the ability to shatter perfect bliss at any moment.
Being in love with Fiona Apple, a very popular and beautiful singer/songwriter, must give Anderson this same kind of awareness of how difficult it is to keep a relationship going strong in this often cruel (dare I use the overdone phrase "Post 9/11") world.
So instead of a love story, we have a filmmaker who I feel is presenting us with something infinitely more interesting and important. A film that reminds us of old fashioned Hollywood versions of love with the full knowledge that the world changing around us has made those quaint notions of love all but impossible.
That isn't to say he (and I) don't believe in love but rather that real, lasting relationships bear little resemblance to those you see in the movies. When you're lucky enough to be truly in love you see right through cute, empty depictions of the real thing.