Review of Gosford Park (2001) by Daniel K — 25 Sep 2011

5: I love Gosford Park and I always have. This is one of those films I will never get tired of. I'm not sure whether I enjoy The Long Goodbye or Gosford Park more, but they are my two favorites among his many amazing pictures (Nashville, McCabe & Mrs.

Miller, 3 Women, The Player, Short Cuts, M*A*S*H, and Tanner '88 are all up there as well). Gosford Park helps define the British class system for me. Upstairs Downstairs and Downton Abbey are all well and good, but neither has the incredible potency and effectiveness that Gosford Park does.

Gosford Park distills most, if not all, of their insights into a mere two hours or so of screen time. The casting and performances are absolutely impeccable. Each actor perfectly embodies their character.

The action and storylines are blended into one another so minutely and effectively that is impossible to imagine unraveling them. No one can do ensembles like Altman and this is definitive proof of his brilliance.

It is also brilliantly funny, and no more so than when we are dealing with the inspector. Altman turned the detective/murder mystery genre on its head, while still remaining forcefully true to its spirit.

This is a brilliantly entertaining and insightful picture that I hope will come to seen for what it truly is in the future: a timeless masterpiece. My only complaint is that I wish it could go on for another two plus hours and that Altman were still around churning out masterpieces like this into his twilight years.

At least we still have Eastwood.