| Overall Grade: |
A+ |
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| Story: |
A+ |
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| Acting: |
A+ |
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| Direction: |
A+ |
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| Visuals: |
A+ |
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Perfect Portrayal of a Wasted Life
by (movies profile)
Nov 7, 2005
3
of
3 people found this review helpful
Val Kilmer shines as John Holmes, once a porn king & now a druggie living drug to drug. Once starring in over 1,000 films & enjoying over 14,000 women, he now navigates throughout the streets in search of the next high with his very young girlfriend played by Kate Bosworth.
The grisly murder on Wonderland is shocking, & we watch as someone's story leads the police to Holmes' doorstep. They find him in a hotel with his young girlfriend, who has no idea that he is involved. He plays on her age, taking advantage of her love. Kate Bosworth plays the perfect part, too, with her starry, love-glazed eyes & her thin but strong arms that reach out to him with all the love she has in her heart. You feel so bad for her.
This film reminds me of Good Fellows in a way, & I love Good Fellows, too. In Good Fellows, there are plenty of drugs, bad guys, & ultimate protection by the Witness Protection Program. In Wonderland, John Holmes is initially offered protection, but they have to cut him loose when he cannot offer solid evidence to make it worth the police officers' while to take such a drastic measure. Holmes is just delusional enough to actually believe that his ex-wife, played by Lisa Kudrow, will go in the program with him. Kudrow is phenonmenal as Katie Holmes. She deserves an Oscar, as does Kilmer.
This gritty story pulls you in & captivates you. You feel the pain of those involved with John Holmes, & you feel his pain, too. In the end, he is a broken, confused, sad man who could have had it all & ended up broke & dying of AIDS instead. A must see. Four ****. |
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