Review of Not Fade Away (2012) by Arrivist — 16 Aug 2021

Not Fade Away is like a two hour song without any hooks. Whenever you think it going to hit a satisfying note, it just goes back to the same chord sequence. David Chase's atheism comes through strongly in the film, as a result the film lacks depth. His grim outlook: that we are alone, can't depend on anybody and should just find pleasure where we can get it; is constantly reinforced throughout the film. None of the characters (maybe apart from the protagonist's little sister) are likeable. It makes it hard to invest in the story when all you'd rather see them all fail. I assume it was intentional. A post-modern film where there are no heroes. The thing that made the Sopranos work was even though Tony behaved like a monster, the charisma and kind-spirit of James Gandolfini shone through. It made the viewer care enough about the character to keep watching. Unfortunately, Gandolfini is a bit wasted in this. On a more positive note, the production quality throughout the film is excellent, and the acting/directing is good. The film does a good job of showing the divide between the new/old generations of the day and the tensions it caused.

I think Not Fade Away is worth watching for Sopranos devotees, the film and TV show share the same cinematographer, Sidney Wolinsky, and the same style of dry humor and pacing will make you half-expect to see Paulie Walnuts stroll-in.