2007 thrillerRating: 12/20
Plot: Hank's a divorcee struggling with making ends meet and unable to pay a nagging ex-wife child support. When he's approached by his older brother Andy regarding the robbery of a mom and pop jewelry store in the suburbs, he decides to hop on board. When the mom and pop turn out to be the brothers' actual mom and pop, the robbery threatens to tear apart the family. Things don't go as expected. Oh, snap! Etc.
I did like the narrative structure (non-chronological, different perspectives, overlapping scenes) and I liked the general story. It's the finer details that are flimsy, and the far-too-many unresolved moments leave the unimaginative flaccid. And the acting is close to terrible with Ethan Hawke scene chewing, Philip Hoffman acting all Philip Hoffman, Marisa Tomei looking completely lost, and Albert Finney giving the type of performance that made me wonder if he was in the middle of having a stroke. There's nothing that gives this any flare, and although it consistently succeeds in creating tension, the resolution makes it all seem like a waste of time. It's not bad, but it seems like it's all been seen before. But how about Marisa Tomei's nipples? Is there an Academy Award for nipples? If not, somebody should get on that.
tomei's nipple's scared me away, how about the opening PK HOFFMAN ass shots? This movie was as depressing as movies can get, (i'm looking at you hawke)... i told you about my in person Hawke-snub right? anyway, we got this DVD from a mcdonald's kiosk for $1 and I'm just glad jen didn't hate me for it..DEPRESSING....
ReplyDeleteNo, I don't believe I've heard about a Hawke snub!
ReplyDeleteJust to clarify...would Jen have hated you because of the movie or because you gave McDonalds a dollar? Those dollar things are good deals! I used a Kroger one to watch that poker movie earlier this year.
Kroger is a grocery store.
By the way, you're getting mail from my daughter. Ignore it. Don't buy anything! She had to send so many of those out for a girl scouts thing to get a patch. It also doesn't have your real name on it. Long story.
What in the world does "leave the unimaginative flaccid" mean? Obviously you weren't referring to Tomei. I thought this was a very well acted, suspensful film. Hoffman being Hoffman is a great compliment, Tomei shows more, a... range and does a fine, if distracting job, and Hawke is a wimpy worthless weasel which would satisfy any Hawke-haters. Like most older, pre-antihero crime films (and Lumet is about 218 years old), all the bad guys are screwed in the end, and that made me happy. My only criticism would be the 60's style, seizure-inducing cuts between scenes where Lumet apparently exhumed Buddy Rich to include a stupid drum bit. That major distraction cost this film a few points, and Hoffman's bottom would be a 3000 point deduction, but I still would give it a 15.
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