Films viewed in 2010
Sunday, January 3rd, 2010 08:55 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rolanniEasy Virtue: (2008) I have no acquaintance with the Noel Coward play from which this movie was adapted, so I can't say how faithful it is to the original. My guess is, not very. Also, the blurb insists that the film is a "romantic comedy," to which again I say, not very. Those caveats made...
In the period between the end of the first World War and the beginning of the second, John Whittaker, a young and naive Englishman, returns home to the family's estate with his new bride, an American woman considerably his elder. Larita (Larry) is a race car driver, having most recently snatched defeat from the jaws of victory as the first driver to cross the finish line at Monaco, and immediately disqualified as the winner because she lacked the appropriate gender markers. Johnny's family consists of his embittered mother, two sisters -- one perpetually drunk, the other merely malicious -- and a distant father spiritually damaged by the war, brutally mistreated and sidelined by his wife.
The newlyweds' plan, as far as Larry knows it, is to stop for a few days and then continue to London, where she will race and Johnny will take up employment. Mother is not pleased any of these plans, and a battle for the possession of Johnny begins.
Most of the characters were annoying, on different notes, and Mrs. Whittaker was the embodiment of poison. Johnny is callow and easily swayed; his sisters toads. Larry is willful and unable to bend; she is only sympathetic in comparison to her nemesis. Mr. Whittaker is dark, disengaged and by far the most interesting character.
Despite all of the above, I liked the movie; particularly the ending, though it, and the particulars of Larry's Dark Secret, make me believe that this adaptation is not entirely true to the original text.
The Brothers Bloom
In the period between the end of the first World War and the beginning of the second, John Whittaker, a young and naive Englishman, returns home to the family's estate with his new bride, an American woman considerably his elder. Larita (Larry) is a race car driver, having most recently snatched defeat from the jaws of victory as the first driver to cross the finish line at Monaco, and immediately disqualified as the winner because she lacked the appropriate gender markers. Johnny's family consists of his embittered mother, two sisters -- one perpetually drunk, the other merely malicious -- and a distant father spiritually damaged by the war, brutally mistreated and sidelined by his wife.
The newlyweds' plan, as far as Larry knows it, is to stop for a few days and then continue to London, where she will race and Johnny will take up employment. Mother is not pleased any of these plans, and a battle for the possession of Johnny begins.
Most of the characters were annoying, on different notes, and Mrs. Whittaker was the embodiment of poison. Johnny is callow and easily swayed; his sisters toads. Larry is willful and unable to bend; she is only sympathetic in comparison to her nemesis. Mr. Whittaker is dark, disengaged and by far the most interesting character.
Despite all of the above, I liked the movie; particularly the ending, though it, and the particulars of Larry's Dark Secret, make me believe that this adaptation is not entirely true to the original text.
The Brothers Bloom
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no subject
Date: 2010-01-03 03:34 pm (UTC)http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00phzvx/Saturday_Play_Private_Lives/
Caroline
no subject
Date: 2010-01-03 04:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-08 02:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-08 06:05 pm (UTC)The more I think about The Brothers Bloom, the more dissatisfied I am with it.
The director should have stuck with the simple story: Stephen realizes Bloom needs to connect with someone other than himself and sets up one last con in order to make that so. This could have easily played as a comedy; and it would have satisfied Stephen's quest for the Perfect Con (the perfect con is the one where everybody gets what he wanted). Bloom could have a Real Life, Penelope could have Bloom. Bam-Bam could have Stephen and Stephen could continue to challenge himself with ever more elaborate cons.
As it is, the director tacked on the whole double-twist at the end, and added AMBIGUITY, in an attempt, one assumes, to Make Art. An attempt, imho, which failed.
no subject
Date: 2010-01-09 10:52 pm (UTC)Yes, towards the end I will admit to a bit of confusion, but all in all, it was a QUIRKY, very much OFF BEAT little movie.