Review of Secrets & Lies (1996) by Michael M — 01 Jan 2008

Jerry Maguire.

Spoilers.

I hate it when a film puts in a kid for the cuteness factor; While the kid serves a narrative function apart from this, it is clear the only real reason why the character Ray Boyd exists is for cute kid stuff; it?s sickeningly sweet and cloying. the entire film has this overtly cloying feel to it that distracts from it; I?m not one to usually mind such things; I really enjoy Chocolat, and La Vita E Bella for example, but here the fable-isque tone that is needed is never achieved; the film asks us to take everything as reality and I just can?t go along with it?s conclusions; there?s a difference between suggesting you should give more personal attention to your clients, and suggesting your business needs to make less money;.

If an employee of mine would have been dumb enough to write ?less money, fewer clients? as the mission statement, regardless of its subtext, I would have fired him and not have had a second thought about it.

The relationship between Jerry and Dorothy isn?t very believable; I don?t believe for a second that either one would accept marriage at that point, nor do I think Hunt?s character would have shut up about it. some of this might be because Cruise never stop seeing himself as Tom Cruise superstar, and neither did I but it?s more the writing and direction. the film tries to be funny, and fails about half the time; I did enjoy parts of the story, and Gooding gave a good performance, through Macy should have won.

Rating: dislike rank:5th.

Shine.

Rush is really good as David, and I really like the character/person; he?s just so cheerful but kinda sad because of his limitations; however, I think the best performance in that movie was Armin Mueller-Stahl as Peter. the core story is very good, and the director does a nice job telling it. the music is wonderful, and I can?t figure out if Rush was playing or just mimicking. BUT this is a film that has been done before, and will be done again; to be frank I?m not all that passionate about this, and Maguire, one way or the other. they?re both kinda meh.

Rating: like rank: 4th.

Secrets and Lies.

This is basically a very well made Lifetime drama; I think I mean that as a compliment. it?s a moving slice of life about people who, yeah this is predictable, are suffering from lies and secrets. the direction is what makes the film stand-out; Leigh is a very patient director, and there are a few long scenes that have no cuts in them; that in some cases are very moving, and others build tension like daily life never has. I think he handles the actors pretty good too; all the performances have a reserved quite power to them that I like. the screenplay is very interesting; I like how it turns scenes without revealing what the scene is about until it is needed; like I said Leigh is a patient director, and in this case a writer. the last 20 minutes are gripping, and an emotional roller coaster; I would be lying if I said I wasn?t moved a good deal. there?s nothing I really dislike, but it is a standard domestic drama in concept, and only better than average one in realization.

Rating: like rank: 3rd.

The English Patient.

This film is much better than I was expecting. a lot on the board seem to really hate it, and I don?t get why. the movie is a bit too slow, given the thinness of narrative, but on the whole it is a nice moving romantic epic. the production values are first rate, and I like how Minghella shows them off, without really showing them off. the story is pleasant, if a bit on the predictable side. I love Fiennes? character and his performance is top notch. I like the quixotic feel the film has. I also like how it has a very genuine adventure aspect to it that is exciting. The film does a really good job of handling the character and their back stories; Moose (Dafoe) deserves his own movie. I also loved the fact the film didn?t chicken out at the end.

Rating: like Rank 2nd.

Fargo.

This is one of my favorite films, and I think it should have gotten basically everything it was up for; the Coen brothers are really gifted when it comes to quirky characters and set-ups; some of their best are in the film...it?s also darkly and side splittingly funny. Lundegaad is a brilliant character, and William H. Macy gives his best performance with him; I think what I like most about the character is no matter how bad things got, he always kept going. I also like how he was totally pathetic, but totally an jerk as well; those characteristics don?t go together very often.

Then there is Marge; how I love Marge. she so good at her job, and yet she seems to be just a normal soccer mom type of character; McDormand totally inhibits her character. I think there?s two key juxtaposition in this film that make it what it is; the first is how Marge treats homicide as common, and deals with it in a confident offhanded way v. the way Jerry treats normal life as one would expects a homicide detective to treat their job; the second would be the surface politeness v. the rest of the gritty world, the underneath, of the film; the speech at the end is kinda inspirational.

I enjoy the white-washed look to the film; I also think the film plays with the noir genre/style really well, and is very original.

I could on and on, but I?ll just quote some the dialog now...

"Say, Lou, ya hear the one about the guy who couldn't afford personalized license plates so he went and changed his name to J2L 4685?"--Marge.

"Yah, that's a good one."--Lou.

Rating; love rank 1st.

Yah, good year over all, wouldn't you agree?