Every once in a while I feel the need for a dramatic thriller in the break of bad romantic comedies in February. Unknown helps fulfills this with Liam Neeson as Dr. Martin Harris stuck in a dilly of a pickle. Martin is on his way to Berlin with his lovely wife Liz (January Jones) to go to an academic science convention to give a presentation. You will remember this fact because Martin will repeat this at every opportunity in the movie. In any case, everything seems to be going so well once they reach the hotel only for Martin to realize he left his briefcase at the airport and has to take a cab back. An untimely car accident occurs on the road and he is rescued from death by his cab driver Gina (Diane Kruger) only to be in a coma for four days. Once awake, Martin returns to the hotel and finds that his wife not only no longer recognizes him but that another man has taken his place and identity thus begins the premise of the film to uncover the conspiracy behind his stolen identity. Don't worry if I spoiled anything, if you've seen a trailer then they've already set up this entire premise for you to begin with.
Now, with a movie like this that requires so many twists and turns, one wonders how to review it without spoiling too much of the surprise. Liam Neeson is a phenomenal dramatic actor. With the right direction and script, he adds the plausible to an otherwise implausible situation. In this movie we question how much of Martin's problems are a conspiracy, how much is an accident, and if the coincidental is no longer coincidence then how far can we stretch our imagination to believe that these events can be planned and to what purpose? With Unknown we are presented with so many facts and red herrings surrounding Dr. Martin that it begins to boggle the mind at how overly complicated all this becomes just to steal a man's identity and to what purpose? Midway through the movie I had my ideas about the truth and wasn't disappointed. Thankfully the movie explains everything by the end.
3 out of 5: A dramatic thriller that manages to keep your interested with good actors and excellent cinematography, however, you may already figure out the ending long before they spell it out for you.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
True Grit (2010)-Returning to the Classic Western Narrative
It's been a nearly a year since I reviewed a movie and perhaps now that I have time, interest, and renewed enthusiasm to go over another movie we may as well open up with a good one. I'll admit, it seems a bit silly to review a movie that has been out in theaters for a while but I was rather impressed by the Coen duo's sincere take on the American Western as a whole. Some may remember 1969's original True Grit starring John Wayne as U.S. Marshal Rooster as more comedy than drama but the Coen brothers take this story and adds a new depth of which is rarely seen in a remake particularly of this quality. Rooster is no longer the bumbling fool nor is Mattie played as so doe-eyed as in their previous counter-parts. The journey is long and paved in as many hardships and sacrifices as there is blood. Bad guys are not as black and white as they were in western movies of old and sometimes innocence must be lost in order for anything of worth to be gained when dealing in vengeance. This isn't your parents' lighthearted True Grit, this is real true grit.
In this remake of True Grit, we sympathize to the plight of a stubborn yet spirited Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) who has set her sights on avenging her father's death with the help of the grizzled and often drunk U.S. Marshal and bounty hunter Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges). Their prey is Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin). It is an all too familiar story of a vengeance-seeking young lass paired with an older veteran of violence and yet Steinfeld and Bridges manages to pull this off in a way that is both endearing as it is touching down to the very end as pieces of both characters start to rub off on one another as we see this pair trudge off to capture her father's killer. Mattie becomes more hardened as Rooster begins to let down his roughened exterior towards the girl.
Rounding out this duo is the surprising but excellent choice of Matt Damon as the sometimes pompous and ineffective Texan Marshal LeBoeuf acting as rival and competitor to claiming Mattie's bounty for his own interests. While sometimes useless, LeBoeuf provides a very much needed foil to Rooster's methods that lends itself to some lighthearted moments in all the action that is more welcome than distracting to the Coen brothers' darker interpretation of the original movie.
Speaking of action, oh yes, there is quite a bit in there. Classic stand-offs and gunfights are a must for any Old Western and here the the movie certainly pleases genre enthusiasts. The Coen brothers add an intensity to these fights as Mattie and Rooster narrow in on Tom not only in the cinematography but also in how they flesh out the back story of the proposed "bad guys" of the film. Moments of honor and humanity are demonstrated by some of the villains that only contributes to the tenseness of the situation. One can't help but sympathize with our heroes' enemies with the many shades of gray morality and desperation that Coen paints them in. Barry Pepper certainly shines in this ambiguous bad guy position as Lucky Ned, leader of Tom's gang. Oh, Lucky Ned certainly is a bastard but you can't help but like the man. As for Tom, the center of this whole manhunt, he appears pitiable as he is laughable a man given how vile he is built up over the course of the film.
Despite all odds, eventually we see our unlikely heroes reach the end. I dare not spoil the ending but I shall say that the Coen brothers do save the best for last. There is no comedy, no lighthearted joke and bonanza music nor do we see the classic riding into the sunset in a blaze of glory. Only bittersweet quiet.
5 out of 5: A solid remake of an old Western that overshadows its predecessor in almost every way that is a rare sight to see for remakes in general and yet the Coen brothers manage to take the story and make it their own with a stellar cast.
In this remake of True Grit, we sympathize to the plight of a stubborn yet spirited Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) who has set her sights on avenging her father's death with the help of the grizzled and often drunk U.S. Marshal and bounty hunter Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges). Their prey is Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin). It is an all too familiar story of a vengeance-seeking young lass paired with an older veteran of violence and yet Steinfeld and Bridges manages to pull this off in a way that is both endearing as it is touching down to the very end as pieces of both characters start to rub off on one another as we see this pair trudge off to capture her father's killer. Mattie becomes more hardened as Rooster begins to let down his roughened exterior towards the girl.
Rounding out this duo is the surprising but excellent choice of Matt Damon as the sometimes pompous and ineffective Texan Marshal LeBoeuf acting as rival and competitor to claiming Mattie's bounty for his own interests. While sometimes useless, LeBoeuf provides a very much needed foil to Rooster's methods that lends itself to some lighthearted moments in all the action that is more welcome than distracting to the Coen brothers' darker interpretation of the original movie.
Speaking of action, oh yes, there is quite a bit in there. Classic stand-offs and gunfights are a must for any Old Western and here the the movie certainly pleases genre enthusiasts. The Coen brothers add an intensity to these fights as Mattie and Rooster narrow in on Tom not only in the cinematography but also in how they flesh out the back story of the proposed "bad guys" of the film. Moments of honor and humanity are demonstrated by some of the villains that only contributes to the tenseness of the situation. One can't help but sympathize with our heroes' enemies with the many shades of gray morality and desperation that Coen paints them in. Barry Pepper certainly shines in this ambiguous bad guy position as Lucky Ned, leader of Tom's gang. Oh, Lucky Ned certainly is a bastard but you can't help but like the man. As for Tom, the center of this whole manhunt, he appears pitiable as he is laughable a man given how vile he is built up over the course of the film.
Despite all odds, eventually we see our unlikely heroes reach the end. I dare not spoil the ending but I shall say that the Coen brothers do save the best for last. There is no comedy, no lighthearted joke and bonanza music nor do we see the classic riding into the sunset in a blaze of glory. Only bittersweet quiet.
5 out of 5: A solid remake of an old Western that overshadows its predecessor in almost every way that is a rare sight to see for remakes in general and yet the Coen brothers manage to take the story and make it their own with a stellar cast.
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