2008. Dir: Gabriele Muccino. Starring: Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson, Michael Ealy and Barry Pepper. ●●●○○
Between Bad Boys 2 and Hancock Will Smith has opened 7 films with a total US gross of $1.27bn, an average of $182m. Seven Pounds will struggle to hit $75m, his lowest tally since 2001's Ali. This film does not deserve to be the film the ends Will's $100m run, although I can understand why it will be. It is a measured and sophisticated look at the nature of love and sacrifice, it touches on how you deal with guilt and the nature of goodness, it is at heart a very bleak story with a flwaed hero. It is a film which I am glad to recommend.
The film opens with Ben Thomas (Smith) waering a "cinnamon" short sleeve shirt making a 911 call and speaking directly to camera. I won't tell you the details of this call, for fear of spoiling the effect, but we then jump back a couple of months and show how Ben got to that situation. Ultimately Ben is suffering from guilt brought on from a car crash which killed 7 people, including his wife. Ben blames himself for the crash as he was checking a text message at the time - I'm not sure that explains why so many people died (none of them appear to be wearing seatbelts in the fuzzy flashbacks, although perhaps that's how I'd feel not how Ben feels).
In order to assuage the guilt Ben is dishing out random acts of kindness to strangers that he feels deserve a better or new life, or just to ensure they live. For instance he gives his house to a battered wife and one of his kidney's to an Ice hockey coach.
Most of the story revolves around him meeting Emily Posa (Dawson) via the medium of a tax audit, the beginnings of a romantic entanglement between the two of them and finally Ben offers the greatest gift he can for her.
Will Smith gives a thoroughly committed performance of a man ripped apart by what has happened to him and unable to share his deep inner thoughts. When his brother interrupts a romantic evening between Ben and Emily and Smith tells her he no longer wants to lie to her that line reading comes so naturally and fully we all want him to open up and tell all his dark secrets. Rosario Dawson is also superb, at one moment fragile and shrunken the next deeply territorial.
The rest of the parts are grossly underwritten. Woody Harrelson's blind pianist appears to be either sanctimonious or plain stupid. And Barry Pepper, an actor who always makes the periferies of the movies he's in shine, is criminally underused - shoved into a couple of scenes to say "I'm not sure" and cry. Joe Nunez, as the motel owner, provides some well earned comic asides without which the film would have been lesser.
Gabriele Muccino's direction seems more fluid than The Pursuit of Happyness, his english language debut (I really dislike that movie) but the decision to place the 911 call at the beginning of the movie, possibly to ratchet up some will he/won't he tension only succeeds in making the film a tragedy before you know it's end.
Philippe Le Sourd (A Good Year) does a great job as DP, letting you catch things in the corners of the screen which foretell where the film is going but without becoming ominous. Especially Ben's "pet", which was gorgeously lit at all times.
At this point I would consider giving the film a 4, only I didn't agree with the actions Ben took. Berate me in the comments for this if you like but I find the judging and testing to discover whether the other characters were good was distastefull, even if you will be donating your bone marrow. After all who are we to just whether others are good, or even if the people he killed in the car crash were good. Also the final gifts were done for the wrong reasons. You have to ask whether Ben's love for Emily was strong enough for him to save her or for him to stand by her, or was he merely distracted by her from completing the goals he had already set. And I'm not sure which route would have required more love.
Monday, 19 January 2009
Seven Pounds
Friday, 16 January 2009
Out this week (16/01/2009)
There are 10 films out this week, but there's no real competition to my recommendation of The Wrestler. I doubt it needs any introduction from me, containing as it does one of the most hyped performances of he last 5 years - the return of Mickey Rourke. If this doesn't appeal then you could try A Christmas Tale (highly regarded French film) or Will Smith saving lives in Seven Pounds.
Beverley Hills Chihuahua
Can you imagine the pitch meeting for this film. A talking pampered chihuahua needs to get back to LA from Mexico. And someone paid for it. Saying that it has made lots of cash so someone must like it.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Boogie
Romanian film about a man relaxing for one last weekend of drink, drugs and prostitutes before returning to his wife and son to be a devoted husband and father. Bleakish.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Chandni Chowk to China
The first Bollywood film to include kung fu moves, plot based on a simple case of mistaken identity. Can't find any reviews on the net so difficult to get excited.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
A Christmas Tale
Arnaud Desplechin's dramedy about a family christmas stars Catherine Deneuve (still looking gorgeous even when ravaged by cancer) and Matthieu Amalric. Expect long hidden secrets to be unveiled and differing tones throughout the film.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Clubbed
Based on a true story about a factory worker who becomes a bouncer in a hard-as-nails rave scene and writes a book about his experiences. Filmed not far from where I live.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Hansel and Gretel
Korean take of classic Grimm fairytale. Ptobably doesn't end happily.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
My Bloody Valentine - 3D
People who like to watch horror films where picks fly our of the screen at you will no doubt want to watch this horror with picks flying out of the screen.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
Seven Pounds
Box office behemoth Will Smith rejoins Gabriele Muccino (Pursuit of Happyness) for tale of remdemption and loss. Pretty lukewarm reviews but it's Will Smith and I feel I ought to keep him as the worlds box office champ.
Watch the trailer:
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Villu
A brutal Bollywood movie with Joeseph Vijay and Nayanthara about revenge and murder. The poster, which someone doesn't reflect this plot at all, can be found here. Nice shirt.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●○○○○○○○○
The Wrestler
Masterly directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei in career rejuvenating roles this is the sort of film that must be seen.
Watch the trailer:
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●●●●●○
Wednesday, 29 October 2008
Catching up - Birthdays
Here are the birthdays I have missed:
Name Age Birthday Coming Soon (if I have an interest in seeing it)
Bill Murray 58 21 September
Mickey Rooney 88 23 September
Will Smith 40 25 September Seven Pounds
Gwynneth Paltrow 36 27 September
Mira Sorino 41 28 September
Marion Cotillard 33 30 September Public Enemies, Nine
Julie Andrews 73 01 October
Clive Owen 44 03 October Duplicity, Boys are Back in Town
Susan Sarandon 62 04 October Lovely Bones
Kate Winslet 33 05 October Revolutionary Road, Reader
Mary Badham 56 07 October
Sigourney Weaver 59 08 October Avatar
Melinda Dillon 69 13 October
Angela Lansbury 83 16 October
John Lithgow 63 19 October
Viggo Mortensen 50 20 October Appaloosa, The Road
Joan Fontaine 91 22 October
Kevin Kline 61 24 October
Bob Hoskins 66 26 October Christmas Carol
Peter Firth 55 27 October
Jane Alexander 69 28 October
Richard Dreyfuss 61 29 October W.
And a picture for Richard as it's his birthday today:
