:
Matthew McConaughey,
Matthew McConaughey,
John Turturro,
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Jill Sprecher,
Jill Sprecher
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: Columbia TriStar
: Drama, Independent
: 104 min.
: English, French
: Spanish, French
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Following up on her acclaimed debut, Clockwatchers, Jill Sprecher spins this intricate ensemble film about life's big questions. Set in New York City, the film focuses on five different characters with radically different perspectives on life. Gene (Alan Arkin) manages a large insurance company and is a compulsive pessimist, constantly bursting the bubbles of his more cheery colleagues. Walker (John Turturro), who holds a similarly bleak view of the world, decides that he cannot stand another day in his dull life as a physics professor and thus promptly dumps his wife, Patricia (Amy Irving). Troy (Matthew McConaughey) is an up-and-coming lawyer whose career is derailed after a hit-and-run accident. And Beatrice (Clea DuVall) is a modest cleaning woman hoping for a miracle. This film was screened at the 2001 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
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| Clever and witty
by HPearson
October 20, 2007 - 8:08 AM PDT
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1 out of 1 members found this review helpful
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| Great character sketches, skillful knitting together of the different story lines. |
| Getting What We Want
by RJones3
July 30, 2007 - 6:46 AM PDT
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| Thirteen Conversations is "unashamedly talky," as one critic put it (Stella Papamichael, BBC), which is probably why I liked it so much. There are no overdriven strivers in the film with their brooding silences and agonistic deeds, just ordinary people trying not very successfully to be happy. They talk to each other in a way that points up the value of intelligently written dialogue. The film fastidiously avoids an obvious message, but its basic pessimism is not entirely unrelenting. It is possible for people to be happy, as the inscrutable Wade, salesman of office supplies, illustrates. If there is a message, it is that life is experienced in retrospect but lived in forward motion. This is deftly illustrated by a reshuffling of chronological order at the close of the film. That device was brilliantly used by Harold Pinter in his 1978 play (1983 movie) Betrayal, which blew me away, and my only regret is that the current movie did not use it more extensively. |
| strong performances all around
by alexjb
February 23, 2005 - 2:45 AM PST
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4 out of 4 members found this review helpful
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very good dialogue film. the director's commentary adds some good perspective as well. despite my comments below, i would not call this an 'artsy' film- it's very accessible and a good film to watch with friends, as it'll doubtless spark good conversation. it's not 'light' tho- bits of humor aside, this is a movie for people who want to pay attention to what they're watching.
acting performances are top-notch indeed. their performances say a lot about acting with body language as much as delivering lines; a lot what comes across about the changes in the characters is conveyed non-verbally- a combination of body/face, music and camera movement.
this is one of those non-linear films, so be prepared to pay attention or watch more than once (you'll probably want to anyway).
you'll be drawn in to trying to tracking the sequence of events, as well as seeing how each of these characters perspectives on life, especially on 'luck' changes when their life plans get thrown some serious curve balls.
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GreenCine Member Rating
(Average 6.60)
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