| Overall Grade: |
B- |
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| Story: |
B- |
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| Acting: |
A |
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| Direction: |
B- |
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| Visuals: |
B+ |
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good and bad at the same time
by __A_YAHOO_USER__ (movies profile)
Jul 16, 2007
100
of
153 people found this review helpful
Okay this is going to be a long one.
I thought that I was gunna despise this movie. I lost all hope in M. Night Shymalan after I saw The Village, which has got to be the worst movie, of any genre, of any year, ever made. So I was apprehensive going to see this. I'm going to start this review by talking about M. Night. I havent seen The Sixth Sense, but I've heard it was good. Unbreakable was a mediocre follow-up but still a good movie. Signs was phenomonal. And then the Village just took his career into a 180. A nosedive, if you will. Here he isn't at his best. I could kind of sense that he's losing his touch as a director and as a writer. There are many camera angles that I felt had all been used before, and they were starting to get dull and repitiive. And there were some scenes that just felt tired and that they had no purpose. Having said that I liked this movie and it is both a good and bad movie all wrapped up into one super-uneven mish-mash of fairy-tales, un-funny humour, touching drama and heart racing thrills.
OKay now on with the review.
Lady in the Water stars Paul Giamatti as the lonely and depressed Cleveland Heep, the superindentant of an apartment building called The Cove. One night Cleveland hears splashing in the pool. Upon investigating he discovers a narf named Story has come from her world, aptly named the Blue World. Story says she has a message to deliver to one of the tenants, who is an author. Cleveland helps her find the tenant and deliver the message, but when she must return to her world, well thats a whole different story. Literally. The residents of the apartment bulding find out that they are all part of a bed-time story and they have all been drawing to the apartment building over time, for the purpose of helping Story return home.
Let's start off with why this is a bad movie. First off there is many inconsistencies in the writing. I blame M. Night Shymalan. There is one asian tenant who is telling the bedtime story to Cleveland through her mother. But she says "my mother won't tell you anymore until you show her that you are childish." And how would Cleveland go about being child-like? By eating milk and cookies of course. And in once scene Story says "I cannot talk about my world". So one character suggests "well what if you just answer yes or no questions by touching your ear to say yes and your elbow to say no" OOHH!! okay! I guess that makes everything better. So she tells them absolutely everything that they need to know. I admit I did like this scene, but the idea of it is just so ridiculous and un-likely. But oh wait, there's more. There is one character who's role is to decipher messages to tell the future and inform the others of what they are supposed to do. And how does he go about finding out what they have to do? He does crossword puzzles! "Seventeen across means essential, and three down means scheme, so I think we have to throw a party for her.." I'm not even kidding thats how the scene plays out. And you can't possibly expect me to believe that an 8 year old getting messages from his cereal is going to save the day. Come on, M. Night Shymalan. You wrote the Sixth Sense! And Signs! And you've reduced your big revelation to a little boy reading cereal. It's just little things like this that show how Shymalan is losing it. It's also little things like these that stopped me from fully liking this movie. There's also some un-funny and akward jokes about one character's secrets, and his wife who tells them to everyone. "He has really bad gas, don't tell him I told you" Umm, okay. That wasn't funny. And there's more un-funny and akward attempts at humour like that, but I'll try not to ruin the ENTIRE movie for you. I'm not gunna lie, some of these jokes fell so flat on their face, that after falling they slid on the floor and came to a screeching halt by colliding with a brick wall. I actually felt bad for M. Night Shymalan.
What else is bad about the movie? Well its not a big thing really. Its kind of a small thing. What the hell kind of name is Story? Is it supposed to be a metaphor for something? Is it supposed to be a clever little pun becuase she herself is part of the Story? I dunno. OKay I'm done with complaining. On with the good stuff.
What is good about the movie, you ask, now that I've completely slaughtered it. Lots actually. Thank fully theres is still some moments in this film that showcase just what M. Night Shymalan does best. There are many heart-pounding, exciting, thrilling and scary confrontations with the beasts, called the scrunts, that is after Story. There are some very sweet and touching moments between Story and Cleveland. And the big finale of the film is so magical and exciting, that when its over you just can't help but smile. Also the way the story builds and unfolds and the importance of each person is so enchanting to watch, that you can't help but enjoy it, even if it is revealed in an idiotic and ridiculous manor (aka little boy reading cereal).
Bryce Dallas Howard and Paul Giamatti give wonderful perfomances as Story and Cleveland. Bryce brings this mysterious and child-like innocence to Story and you can't help but be enthralled each time she is on screen. And Paul Giamatti is absolutely phenomonal as Cleveland, and give a performance miles ahead of every other person in the cast. He plays Cleveland as a very likable, friendly and innocent person. He has got the stammer down pat and there are scenes in which Cleveland talks of a past tradgey that is so heartfelt and touching and beautiful.
I also loved the music. James Newton Howard has written a beautiful score and I loved it. He did the music in King Kong. Yes, I pay attention to that kind of stuff.
So overall what can I say about Lady in the Water? It is a good movie. There are many inconsistencies in tone, and the writing, and that takes away from all of its good qualities. But overall I enjoyed this movie, and in comparison to Night's last film, this is like the best movie ever made. I do recommend you go see Lady in the Water. Its no masterpiece but it is an involving and well-crafted fable of loss, life, and facing our fears. Lady in the Water is no return to form by M. Night Shymalan, but it is a worthy film, that is well worth a look.
7/10 |
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