Reviews

I've been looking around for something worth streaming and most of the recent output just won't hold my interest. I stumbled across this and started it, and glad to report that, from the beginning, I was kinda taken in. It's not a super sophisticated movie; instead, it had just enough pacing, interesting characters, and plot set up to keep you watching wondering until the end. And it all take place in a relatively confined space. And tho he's gotten a bit of a bad rap these days, Shia was very good. His mom is played by the always nice to watch Carry Moss and David Morse played, as often, a very interesting character. I felt I'd seen him in a similar role at some point but looked back over his acting history and can't find it. Bottom line, worth watching some afternoon (on Paramount Plus).

Many reviewers have commented negatively on the music in this movie. They are so right. All of a sudden the music gets very loud, scary, dramatic and you think there is going to be some shocker coming. Or at least something coming. But no. ----And that's just the surface reflection of what I consider a poorly done movie. Under the surface is the problem of the plot -- if there is one, it is so very, very, very subtle you can hardly be aware of one. I recall that there are people known to gaze at their navels for long periods of time, and they must gain some insight from this. This felt like time spent just gazing like that but producing no meaningful insight. At least for me. A waste of three very talented actors.

I am not a professional screenwriter, but as I watched this, I kept thinking how I could have written a better screenplay. I'd start by narrowing the subjects, and make dialogue more to the point, easier to follow, as my partner and I kept having to ask, is he saying this, or that, and who is this and who is that. For good example, they could have focused on only one of his drivers rather than all almost equally -- I'd suggest De Portago (Spanish aristocrat, spoke 4 languages, interesting background who develops girlfriend) . Let viewers know he's part of a team, but make him distinctive from others by focusing on him enough that we care if he won or lost. Have Ferrari interact with him, not with so many people almost equally. Show an overhead of the 1000 miles to get an idea -- simply, simplify. Maybe leave out the long, slow scenes at the mausoleum. Or the long, slow scenes with other woman. Or whole deal with wife finding the other house. Interesting but for another story. Make Moss, the top driving competitor, a tad more than just a name in passing. In short, should have written a story with chosen distinct characters and a plot, not made a goulash of so many characters with pieces of plots. And re actors--love A. Driver, but zero spark here. Only Cruz seemed to have it. Watch Ford v. Ferrari for more interesting take, including, tho shorter, on Ferrari.

Watched because it was on a list of supposedly funny Christmas movies. Well, if you find a character who, using "f" word every third word and is always drunk and drinking and tossing tons of bottles wherever to damage as much property as possible, taking drinking breaks to seek out women for anal sex in changing rooms - for the MAJORITY of the MOVIE! - this movie is for you! Can't believe this piece of trash has scored higher than a 3 if that. There was one second (literally) of laughing total. Maybe they put some clever humor in the sequel or was it just more drunken "f" this "f"ing "f"thing?

Nice idea, but had major problems. First, it was quite confusing with shots going back and forth among three generations with stand-ins for some older relatives in their youth (I'm assuming) such that it was not always clear who was who. Second, it was so chopped up as to be almost stream of consciousness which kept it from driving to any point or even sustained ambience. And third, it could have told the same super simple story equally well (or better) in one-third the time, i.e., In desperate need of an editor and organization. Showed the same old home movie scenes numerous times, and really started to drag after a bit. Interesting characters, as southern characters tend to be. Needs a rework.

If a movie makes you laugh by naming a town "Ennui", this is a movie for you!. Not even as funny as a silly French farce (although close enough that this must explain the alleged standing ovation at Cannes). Main challenge must have been trying to see how many stars could be worked into the tableaux. I've rarely walked out of movie, but left this movie after an hour and had started wanting to after 15 minutes. Amazingly stupid. Only reason I didn't give it one star is that spot is reserved for the recent movie Black Widow.

I gave this a two for the possibility that there is a movie I have seen in a theater that is worse and I have forgotten it. Within first 15 minutes, you know this isn't making much sense, and it goes downhill from there. No consistent plot, everything just thrown in as if an afterthought. Would give examples of how insultingly horrible and boring this was but guess would be spoiler and want to help others out there not waste hours and money watching what was more boring than my corporate law class. So bad, companion and I couldn't help laughing uncontrollably through much of second half. Bill Hurt -- how could you let yourself be in this (almost)? P. S. I very much enjoyed Ironman, so it's not that I can't get into a comic book movie.

Really? Hollywood let this pass? Oh, my, where to start. First --from the first scene, embarrassingly bad acting by the two prime characters which bad acting lasted throughout. Not seen a Hollywood movie in a long time with this high school level acting. Second, the "story" -- wasn't really a story at all. There was an initial premise, but then it went all over the place making no sense, totally unrealistic and with major consequences that then just get forgotten in the script like they never happened. I wanted to like anything with Jason Patric, but couldn't, not even his acting (or nonacting) in this high school play with his boring lines. Somehow made it through the film, assuming at least some things might tie together somehow, but no. I'd explain further but would be a spoiler. Maybe not as bad as, but more lightweight boring than, Battleship Earth.

Had no idea what to expect when I started to watch this at the Virginia Film Festival. It said "comedy" which evokes "Hangover" type silliness. But no -- not a goofy comedy if really a "comedy" at all. More a quirky, offbeat movie that touches so many good and warm spots. You don't see it coming. It starts with serious-seeming vulgarity by the main character. But as it develops, it just gets better and better until the end and you feel you've eaten a large, delicious meal. Probably the most enjoyable movie I saw at the Film Festival. Whenever it comes out, I will definitely watch it again. (Not want to say too much specifically so you can just let it develop without a clue where it's going.)

Motivation must underlie any good movie, of any genre, to have any legitimacy. Why does a character do something bizarre must have some reason; otherwise the author is just playing with you, doing a 52 card pickup with possible plot twists. This movie has great actors, of course, and has a bit of the "Momento" issues going on. But the key development, an action by one of these actors, has zero reason behind it, just wham, out of the blue when things were okay. I gave a five, cause worth watching, I guess, just to see what the twist is, and to watch these fine actors, except that I think the fine actor at the center of the twist ought to have insisted on some apparent motivation for the sudden turn in behavior.

So I have to assume film producers save a lot of money if they minimize the lighting in their movies? -- don't have to worry as much about details of the rooms or environment, don't have to worry as much about plot holes, etc. I assume this because I cannot fathom why otherwise someone would go to the trouble of writing a screen play, getting actors, filming, but turning down the lighting so much that about a fourth of this movie was an almost total blackout, especially during the climax when a lot happening but couldn't really tell who, when, how and where, and had to deduce by subsequent scenes. Turned my browser (seeing on laptop) all the way up, yet could not make out who was doing what to whom exactly during the last, oh, fifth or sixth of the movie, and for the entire movie there was that frustrating desire to see the actors better, see what the scenes looked like better. To the extent I could see the actors as they were emoting, or supposed to be, they were either over-doing it in the case of one star, to the point of cartoonish, or not emoting at all in the case of the other star, at least so far as I could tell in the twilight. And another prime character just kept saying the same thing over and over. And this dark goings-on progressed very, very slowly. Yay, made it to the end. About all worth saying . I gave it a 4 just for the overall idea which might have been executed into a worthwhile film.

Blood, blood, blood, drinking blood, blood on teeth, blood dripping from lips. Over and over and over. Perhaps there are people who enjoy watching (presumably fake) blood all over faces and gushing out of mouths and wounds and pouring into mouths. In fact, given the rating of this movie, I have to assume there are a lot. Hopefully there are some like me who find it totally sickening and repulsive. You hang in there through the first scene or two of ti, thinking there is obviously going to be much more story than there will be more blood scenes, scenes getting more blood, especially given the terrific (otherwise) cast, but the story otherwise is very thin. The spine of the movie is getting blood, drinking blood, gouging blood, seeking blood. Yum.

One of my all time favorite movies. Can't get any better acting than by Tim Roth as Vincent and Paul Rhys as his brother. Intense, intense. Gritty. You can sense the madness-making of the katydid-bedeviled Arles region. And carelessness with the paint didn't help. For Vincent, almost all is conveyed just by Roth's subtle facial expressions. The irony at the beginning of the movie. The deeply discordant soundtrack and little touches by the director, when added to all the above, make for an absolutely beautiful (darkly) masterpiece. You can feel Vincent, and you can feel his brother Theo and their connection in producing, in a very short span of time, the incredible and incredibly original art which is Vincent Van Gogh's.

It's fun finally to have a show that feels as if it is taking you for a ride, definitely somewhere you've not been before, with mysterious droppings all over, back and forth time-wise, and so far great acting. The handmaid did that at the beginning, although this has enough confidence to drop a bit of humor into the mix, an overstuffed leather chair that a sitter can't quite get comfortable in. I am puzzled though by the soundtrack as I looked for but saw no credit to Brian de Palma, and yet several episodes have clearly copied him (early episode had very Carrie-evocative music, and episode 5 has the exact same VERY weird soundtrack he used in Body Double). If nothing else, this tells you what this show would like to emulate. So far, it is doing so, if not perhaps quite up to a dePalma. Look forward to more (but hey, give credit where credit due, how about it? De Palma picked out this music).

Treat yourself to a couple hours of fun. The writing, the plot, the dialogue and characters work very well, with a number of memorable moments. Like any movie, there are slower times and less imaginative scenes than others, but if you don't laugh out loud at least a few times, you definitely need to talk to a shrink. No politics or stupid college pranks or jokes. Just well designed, entertaining plot for grown-ups. .

One of the most surprisingly simple yet incredibly intense movies I can recall, with incredible acting, incredible cinematography (no wasted visual moment, just cut right to where you are meant to be for the next development, and snappy, non-typical focus). It leaves the viewer with deep questions, especially for driven people such as artists, if not everyone. It very much catches you up from the first scene, and carries you through to an ending which is emotionally satisfying yet philosophically questionable.

All of this is in addition to some absolutely unbelievable drumming.

To me, a perfect little powerhouse of a movie.