Review of Gosford Park (2001) by Daniel P — 12 Aug 2010
A contemporary Shakespeare by way of Agatha Christie and just a little Alfred Hitchcock, Gosford Park has a little bit of everything: humour, satire, treachery and romance all feature in this update to the traditional comedy of manners.
By focussing on the servants so much, Altman flips the story on its head. As in the Charlie Chan films Bob Balaban's character works on, the presumption must be that "the butler did it." So what does Altman do? He gives us 20 maids and valets, and lets the intrigue fly not among the upper class but within the lower. Absolutely brilliant.
Add to it the pitch-perfect performances of Helen Mirren, Clive Owen, Maggie Smith and - AGAIN - Kelly MacDonald, and you've got one for the ages. This film is a true delight, beautiful in every way, with great shots, lighting, sets and an ensemble cast that is among the best every assembled.
This review of Gosford Park (2001) was written by Daniel P on 12 Aug 2010.
Gosford Park has generally received very positive reviews.
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