Review of Cape Fear (1991) by Logan T — 06 Mar 2010

An effective and brutal thriller which combines the magic of classical Hollywood filmmaking with Scorsese's decidedly modern style. This remake becomes an exercise in respect and contribution, with a relatively new master paying homage to many old ones, among them Hitchcock and Tourneur.

In the hands of Scorsese the material takes on a form both entertaining and urgent, a nail-biter which encourages us to think and to fear. There are many very good performances in this film, including bit roles by Peck and Mitchum, Juliette Lewis (who I usually can't stand) and De Niro, of course; but the real star of the show is Nick Nolte, an actor of tremendous intensity who knows when to bring a gentle grace to his character and when to bring out an all too familiar kind of monster, the kind who may be closer to us than we care to imagine.