This is a very interesting and entertaining picture. I, normally sceptical about such ventures, thought much more highly of this one than did the other well-thought out commentators. Claire Forlani's performance, all agree, was superb. But I, having practiced law for many years in the San Francisco Bay Area courts and having had some experience young heroin addicts, including addicted friends of clients, and having seen addicts on the nod in open court and in early withdrawal, was astonished by Forlani's performance.
In one scene I watched closely as she seemingly involuntarily trembled the index finger of one hand while going through her apparently agonizing facial and body contortions. I tried to make my index finger tremble thusly, but no way. How did she "act" so on the edge? At the time I wondered what this actress was like in real life. Were her sly, even crafty yet fearful glances a natural characteristic?
Hell of a performance!! But, without being a spoiler, did you all miss the scene where Forlani first became addicted?
Other commentators tended to put down Lauren Bacall's performance by contrast, but it too was superb. Her seemingly ill-acted more or less stoic performance that drew some criticism in fact was fully in character as was revealed in the closing scenes. She too was playing a game for high stakes, although just how she came to be a player rather than an innocent bystander was obscure to me. I'll have to watch this one again.
True, the flashbacks and flash forwards were disconcerting at first -- such devices usually are -- but these were introduced with a flash of light which happily -- at least to me -- announced their advent.
Good job all around, actors, writers, directors. I could even hear what the actors were saying for a change -- no mumbling or sound track blasting away the dialogue -- although at my age I much prefer subtitles.
Lew Warden
Join The Howard Beale Memorial Society. Celebrate Network. (http://www.networkcentralca.net) And check out Loose Ends at http://www.aventuraproductions.net
In one scene I watched closely as she seemingly involuntarily trembled the index finger of one hand while going through her apparently agonizing facial and body contortions. I tried to make my index finger tremble thusly, but no way. How did she "act" so on the edge? At the time I wondered what this actress was like in real life. Were her sly, even crafty yet fearful glances a natural characteristic?
Hell of a performance!! But, without being a spoiler, did you all miss the scene where Forlani first became addicted?
Other commentators tended to put down Lauren Bacall's performance by contrast, but it too was superb. Her seemingly ill-acted more or less stoic performance that drew some criticism in fact was fully in character as was revealed in the closing scenes. She too was playing a game for high stakes, although just how she came to be a player rather than an innocent bystander was obscure to me. I'll have to watch this one again.
True, the flashbacks and flash forwards were disconcerting at first -- such devices usually are -- but these were introduced with a flash of light which happily -- at least to me -- announced their advent.
Good job all around, actors, writers, directors. I could even hear what the actors were saying for a change -- no mumbling or sound track blasting away the dialogue -- although at my age I much prefer subtitles.
Lew Warden
Join The Howard Beale Memorial Society. Celebrate Network. (http://www.networkcentralca.net) And check out Loose Ends at http://www.aventuraproductions.net