| deep ! |
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| written by alexjb |
January 6, 2006 - 12:47 AM PST |
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1 out of 1 members found this review helpful
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this is definitely an artistic drama, excellently done. admittedly, i came with low expectations, but i was totally drawn in and focused the whole time- a very pleasant surprise!
ian mckellan is brilliant, portraying the complexity of a highly intelligent, talented, accomplished man who's losing his mind post-stroke. brendan fraser gives the best performance that i've seen so far, and he does more than play dumb - he emotes a depth into his character that goes beyond the script. the viewer can feel that fraser's character feels a bond to mckellan's unlike any of his other relationships; enough for him to put aside his homophobia.
the two of them drive the film's intensity- while mckellan/whale is 80% of the plot focus, it wouldn't hold together without fraser/boon being convincing.
the characters' complexity is revealed in an un-rushed but very steady push towards a climax which brings the threads together excellently. we're questioning their precise motivations right up until that last scene- sex? love? father-figure? arm candy? companion?
visually, it's beautiful- the colors and framing of the scenes are much more eye-catching, and seemingly more controlled than is usual for a dialogue-heavy drama.
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| this is real art! |
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| written by lividsnails |
April 1, 2005 - 7:21 AM PST |
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0 out of 2 members found this review helpful
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At the end of this movie, you think so this is how you feel when you look at a great work of art and you see what beauty is. And this is how you feel when you look at this beautiful portrait of this man's life; you think this is what it means to have lived a well-composed life and this is what it is to be human and fully alive.
Brendan Frazier, playing handsome, young gardener, is the perfect actor for the role, easy to fall in love with, those expressive grey eyes! Such a listener!
And the soundtrack is really good.
But the hallmark of this movie is that you're left feeling like you have witnessed a work of art. The movie, the man, all of it. You are in the presence of gods and monsters.
Read more of my movie and book reviews on my blog Lucky White Girl |
| Well worth the rental |
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| written by Misshaped |
March 19, 2004 - 2:16 PM PST |
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2 out of 3 members found this review helpful
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| If you're a fan of Sir Ian McKellen, then you will definitely appreciate his performance as director James Whale. Lynn Redgrave does a mean Renfield impersonation and Brendan Fraser plays a buff Frankenstein. The blending of old movie clips and personal flashbacks makes this an interesting look into the closet of a forgotten director. |
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