Review of The Basketball Diaries (1995) by David F — 20 Jul 2010
Leo gives an awesome performance, but the film itself didn't do it for me. I didn't actually feel for the character since the film really didn't give you a reason to. And the story is hard to watch.
Not in the sense that the subject matter is difficult, it's in the sense that it's so blandly and tediously executed. It's a film about a kid's descent from low to lower, and his unconvincing rise to recovery.
Also, the film never gives you a reason as to why he fell under the spell of that life in the first place. Leo's performance can't disguise the films half-assed nature, its completely inability to rope the viewer in and make this journey convincing and potent.
It's a film that doesn't deserve the dedicated performance behind it. Leo put so much into a film that couldn't match him.
This review of The Basketball Diaries (1995) was written by David F on 20 Jul 2010.
The Basketball Diaries has generally received positive reviews.
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