Motherless Brooklyn is a film that generally had a lot of things going for it such as: Great performances all round, especially from Edward Norton as a detective with tourettes, great cinematography, Costumes that engage you with the time and place that the film is set, and authentic production design. These elements are all excellent and shows that Edward Norton is a capable director who makes something with effort and passion which isn't seen all the time, these aspects feel so engaging in the first act and through many parts of the final act. These elements show that he has a lot of potential and I can't wait to see what he directs next.
However, the film has a lot of issues which unfortunately bring it down, the film is way too long for the type of film that it is, a Noir detective drama/thriller such as this had enough content to go for an hour and a half, however the film exceeds two and a half hours making it feel like a drag to get through especially in the second act. The film also tried to cover a lot of things and moments that seemed to weigh down the quality of the film, and make me feel confused for a number of moments and revelations. These could have been more impactful with a shorter run time and tighter plot lines that give the audience a meaningful connection to the characters and the actions they set to do throughout the film.
Overall, Motherless Brooklyn is a film that had a lot of potential and showcased a number of promising aspects of Edward Norton as a director, however, a messy second act, a stretched run time, and too much expository dialogue rather than use visual storytelling weigh the film down and decrease its quality making it tough to get through at times, fans of this genre will find something to love here but its far from being a fantastic film.
However, the film has a lot of issues which unfortunately bring it down, the film is way too long for the type of film that it is, a Noir detective drama/thriller such as this had enough content to go for an hour and a half, however the film exceeds two and a half hours making it feel like a drag to get through especially in the second act. The film also tried to cover a lot of things and moments that seemed to weigh down the quality of the film, and make me feel confused for a number of moments and revelations. These could have been more impactful with a shorter run time and tighter plot lines that give the audience a meaningful connection to the characters and the actions they set to do throughout the film.
Overall, Motherless Brooklyn is a film that had a lot of potential and showcased a number of promising aspects of Edward Norton as a director, however, a messy second act, a stretched run time, and too much expository dialogue rather than use visual storytelling weigh the film down and decrease its quality making it tough to get through at times, fans of this genre will find something to love here but its far from being a fantastic film.