Review of Gosford Park (2001) by John E — 22 Jun 2011

Gosford Park is distilled Altman and it is the most concentrated form of his techniques that he pioneered in movies such as Nashville or Short Cuts. Here, the acclaimed director takes a crack at swiping the British class system; choosing to set the film at the twilight of the British Empire makes it doubly fascinating to watch those who stubbornly cling to the old ways, moving about between their neighbors' and friends' manor houses in a microcosm of the wealthy.

Like his other massive ensemble works, Altman mikes up all his actors so that there is a rich tapestry of dialogue that is just as fecund as Altman's skilled blending of genres. Anyone who's seen Nashville knows that repeat viewings is required to fully grasp and understand the deep and rich characters who, like real people, have secretive sides and public facades.

The complexities, nuances, and suggestive innuendos all make this movie much more than a standard whodunit or a paean to Agatha Christie's big mansion murders. It's terrific filmmaking that has a lot to say about a good many things, with assured camerawork and a stellar cast.

No complaints here.