There is one aspect of this film that ruined enjoyment of it in its entirety for me. It is difficult for me to understand how Shakespeare, and plays in general, need drastic altering for adaptation to the screen since in their original form, unlike books, they were made for performance. I understand a few additions to create a flow of action, but what kind of person thinks they can take a play that has withstood the test of several centuries' time and add events under the pretense of improvement? Now you may believe that you know the play and there can be not plot spoilers but I am about to mention one here so don't let me ruin it for you if you haven't seen the film. The specific event to which I refer is the death of Fleance. One of the biggest components of this play is the fact that everything the three witches say comes true, and that in the end their speaking in parables tricks Macbeth into thinking he is invincible, when really the witches fortell his death. So when they say Banquo will be the father of a line of kings, and Macbeth intends to kill him and his son Fleance, Fleance's escape is what proves to us that the prophesies of the witches will come true. But then Macbeth sends some sort of primitive bounty hunters to finish the job and they find Fleance and kill him. That was really stupid.
Reviews
2 Reviews
Liberty Heights
(1999)
Reality at its Best
4 December 2002
This movie is sort of like the concept of the TV show Seinfeld-- it's about nothing. By this I don't mean that it lacks substance, in fact, it has plenty, but I mean rather that it does not involve an intense plot line. It's more like a series of snapshots taken out of one family's album, like a brief recording of one year in their lives. It's as if these people were real, simply going about their lives in their times, and we got to peek in on them, and it is acted in just that way. I think it's very true to director Barry Levinson's vision, a vision that is clear upon viewing his other films that he includes with Liberty Heights as his "Baltimore" films. These include Diner, Avalon, and Tin Men. Because this is not the typical problem arises-conflict ensues-climax is reached-conclusion is found film, Levinson shows us that these people's lives were a series of ups and downs, joys and losses, that summarize American middle-class youth in all ages in history. There connections between the different walks of life and the idea of growing up and discovering diversity around you is what makes this film universal and beautiful, all without handing you morals and themes on a silver platter. This film takes a wonderfully objective viewpoint that allows you to make meaning of it rather than spelling it out for you.
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