Review of Pretty Persuasion (2005) by Mister C — 22 Dec 2005

[b]The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly[/b] was some of the most fun I've had watching a movie at home. It may also have the best use of [i]deus ex machina[/i] ever employed. :D I love the humor. Tuco is an example that scenery-chewing performances [i]can[/i] work well. And what a finale. As always, Leone knows how to frame a scene to capture the moment. As much as I enjoyed Morricone's score for [b]Once Upon a Time in the West[/b], I may like this one more. "Ecstasy of Gold" and "The Trio" are magnificent. I can see why the added scenes in the extended cut may bother some, but it didn't bug me much, and after reading what the added scenes were, I think they help in terms of explaining things, even if explaining things isn't the focus. Anyway, I'm rambling. Just a real treat.

Evan Rachel Wood was excellent in [b]Pretty Persuasion[/b] as the amiable, calculating sociopath / aspiring actress not afraid to whore herself whenever necessary. Everything else about it irked me. The characters didn't feel real; the acted the way they did simply to serve the plot and make unnecessary parallels. I'm thinking the blonde reporter in particular. The courtroom scenes and resulting flashbacks result in a lot of time to devoted to characters learning what we already know, or can easily expect. The many cliches (the Jew layer, the young teacher flustered by young flesh, the trophy wife) felt tired, and nothing new was done with such conventions. Also, as seems symptomatic with plenty of quirky comedies this year, the dramatic tonal shift at the end just felt jarring. Other than Wood, what I did appreciate the most was that it wasn't afraid to shy from harshness when it came to candor. James Woods' character's actions towards his daughter felt particularly fitting and appropriately hard-hitting.