| Not a Spike Lee Joint |
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| written by garkell |
October 10, 2004 - 6:56 PM PDT |
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4 out of 9 members found this review helpful
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Average hollywood cornball movie. What's all the sobbing about this guy going up river for 7 years? A drop in the hat in prison time. You think the guy was arrested for child porn and they found kid's bodies in his basement. Hell, he's surrounded by people who love him, a knockout girl, and a great father. We should all be so lucky.
Too much predicability here. The best actors in this movie are the stock broker, the young tart, the dad, and Phillip Hoffman. Everyone else is average to terrible. The dogs sucks, the Russians suck, the women suck, the gimmicky editing sucks, etc.
Spike Lee should pull all copies of this movie and remake it as a documentary about a real life story of a guy about to go to prison. Maybe I should listen to the director commentary before total condemnation. |
| Minimal content stretched to absurd length |
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| written by talltale |
August 19, 2004 - 8:31 AM PDT |
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3 out of 6 members found this review helpful
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| Once I've begun watching a film, I almost always finish it, but with 25TH HOUR, I came close to stopping midway (and every few ensuing minutes). This is one tiresome movie, waaaaay overlong, and even more unbelievable. Into the Ed Norton character's last day before beginning his prison term, the film tries to pack every imaginable event--many of them not remotely real. Example: would this guy wait until a few hours before prison to find a caretaker for his beloved dog? (The dog's been paramount to the movie and to his life from the first scene, for Christ's sake!) Would his Russian mob boss wait until right before prison to threaten this guy--and then come off like a real mensch (all Russian mob bosses should be so wonderful)? Would the aforementioned dog stand happily by, wagging his tail, while his owner gets beaten up? (There ARE shots of an angry dog, but these alternate with shots of a quiet, happy dog. What happened to intelligent film editing?) And, oh, the pompous music that underscores every dramatic moment: I thought I was back in the 1950s. I could go on, but why? Evidently, other members loved this film, so, hey, take your chance. The performances are OK, as far as they're permitted to go, and Spike Lee at least refrains from rubbing our noses in dumb camera effects (as he has in his recent films). But this is scant praise for less than 60 minutes of content dragged unconscionably into more than two hours of film. Get the hook! |
| Great but..... |
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| written by ESanders |
July 29, 2004 - 7:56 AM PDT |
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7 out of 9 members found this review helpful
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| I loved this movie. You really get into Monty's head and wonder what he's going to do at the end. The characters are real and believable, the music is excellent, and it's visually appealling. My only criticism is there are some scenes (and I won't tell you which) that drag on too long. Still, a solid 9 in my book. Enjoy ! |
| Fantastic |
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| written by maritoni |
January 23, 2004 - 8:02 PM PST |
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8 out of 9 members found this review helpful
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| The best Spike Lee movie in some time. Ed Norton and the rest are well-cast as flawed but likeable characters and Lee does a fine job directing. Intense, brash and stylish, just as you hope for from 40 Acres and a Mule. |
| hit me |
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| written by cammelltoe |
November 4, 2003 - 2:52 AM PST |
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7 out of 14 members found this review helpful
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| post 9-11 On The Waterfront or Fight Club with a straight-jacketed straight face? You decide. Spike Lee heavy-hands a talented cast through what seems, at first, a nifty little neo-noir into portentous pseudo profundity. Rent Bamboozled instead. |
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