Review of Cradle Will Rock (1999) by Nikolai E — 30 Mar 2008

I honestly think this is the best cast ever assembled for stage or screen. The story will track down your slightest bohemian sympathies like a bloodhound and bare down on them with a death-grip, and the energetic, steadicam-driven cinematography makes it thoroughly watchable, even though the frantic, meticulous long takes contribute to its unfriendly 175 minute run-time.

The film's one core failing is that it predictably stretches itself too thin. The fact that so many characters have complete story arcs is a great accomplishment in the precarious, often over-ambitious ensemble comedy genre, and the excellent ending montage will at least let you leave the film with a sense of fulfillment, but many interesting motifs and set-ups are left hanging in the air.

Regardless, it's a lovingly crafted work of passion filled with performances and images that just graze the point of caricature, and I'd shamelessly recommend it to anyone.