2008 film experienceRating: 17/20 (Jen: 3/20)
Plot: Theater director Caden Cotard is struggling with his work and almost every aspect of his life. After a successful production of Death of a Salesman and the awarding of a grant, he decides it's time to make something more creative and personal. He has a city constructed in a large warehouse and casts hundreds of actors to act out the minutia of the lives of him and the people. Gradually, he falls to pieces.
This is either one of my new favorite movies or a big ol' piece of crapola. I just can't decide. I laughed out several times, and I nearly cried more than a few. Hoffman's performance is heart-shattering, and his transformation from a middle-aged theater director to an old decrepit man is remarkable. This really works well as a character study of a disturbed (diseased?) man struggling with his mortality, every single choice he's made in his life, and a universe that he's unable to control. It's about as quirky as movies get, and it's definitely not easy. In fact, I plan to see it again very soon (possible this weekend) to try to figure out just what I saw the first time. There are so many fine details submerged in the chaos that I know I missed a lot. It's a riddle, but unlike other movie riddles I couldn't solve, I'm not sure I need answers to enjoy it. Actually, this seems more like the type of movie you don't really watch and understand as much as you interact with it, let it bounce around your head. This head-scratcher isn't for everybody (see Jen's rating which, I'll admit, quite possibly could be more accurate than mine), but you should watch it anyway. It's a movie I thought of all day (when I wasn't doing my job--playing chess on a computer at school), and that's usually a sign that I just watched something good.
Your review really nailed it for me... I need to see it again soon...my Jen ignored it while it was one and then went to bed.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite quote was (not safe for the kids)
"Because he doesn't cry when he fucks me."
Which pretty much sums up the movie. Horribly tragic to a point that you have to laugh.
Keener is very similar to her character in Being Malkivich, she plays a great bitch. I'm also glad we were spare Hoffman's ass... (before the devil knows your dead)
this spawned my thought that i'd never want to be a character that Hoffman played but someone reminded me of lester bangs, which again would suck, being lonely and addicted to cough syrup.
What?? You wouldn't want to be Ben Stiller's friend in 'Along Came Polly' or Brandt in 'Lebowski'? Brandt seemed to have a fine life.
ReplyDeleteI would have given this another point if we got to see Hoffman's ass again.
By the way, I'm planning on putting together an hour of musics to throw your way like I promised you a couple months ago. It'll definitely happen this weekend or next weekend. Scout's honor!
I think this film is more crapola than genius, although it is trying its hardest to show how brilliant it is. There are some great moments, and I really like some of the interaction between the actors that were portraying the leads and the leads themselves, but it was more like an exercise than a movie that I could enjoy. It was a lot of work and the concept was too complicated and self-involved to be believable. A 12.
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