| Overall Grade: |
B |
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| Story: |
B- |
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| Acting: |
B |
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| Direction: |
B |
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| Visuals: |
B- |
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Not great, but not bad
by John Y (movies profile)
Jun 27, 2008
4
of
4 people found this review helpful
I disagree with the naysayers on this one.
For kids looking for some action adventure story, this one isn't for you. For older movie goers who like the slower building tension of Alfred Hitchcock or first Manchurian Candidate, I think you'll feel this movie.
Set in the late fifties, I felt this was a true portrait of old school wealth and power and the realities of women working in the fifties. How do you steal from these guys in the fifties. The revolution of the sixties is alluded to here but not really defined. Politics of the sixties are setup as probable causes but the real reason is more satisfying.
This movie is more rooted in realism and tension, then incredible action. It even appeals to older viewers because its set in what looks like late fifties, early sixties London. The dress, the decor, the pace, the movement, even the set design, feels like it was meant to look like an old Gary Cooper thriller.
For me the acting was credible, Caine is very likeable as the old janitor. It felt like he was channeling Dick Van Dyke from Mary Poppins at times, but his acting and motive felt real to me. I've known a few very intelligent underachievers and he brought that feeling through.
Demi Moore was a decent cast. I've never been a big fan of hers, but she does a credible job here. She was playing more to her real age and it showed. I thought it was brave of her to undertake this role, age and all, and brave of the filmmakers to cast her. They could have easily gone with a younger actress and it would have worked. Her character's flaws felt genuine and she certainly had a good motive. I also liked the fact, that her character was really made of ambition and regret and it came through. |
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