I just don't get it ... I adored PTA's first three films. Adam Sandler was just fine, as were Emily Watson and the supporting characters. Fantastic music (as in Magnolia, composer Jon Brion works miracles here) and sound design, lovely cinematography. And yet ... it's as if someone went to an upmarket grocery store, selected all the finest ingredients, and boiled them into something bland and unremarkable. By the end, as Roger Ebert might say, my hand closed on air.
There were several brilliant moments in this film. It looked and sounded amazing (I'm repeating myself). But by the end I just felt unsatisfied, which is disappointing because up til now, a new PTA film has never been less than a fully enriching experience.
I think I can put my finger on it ... the problem may have been with the writing. 1) The story is, well, kinda stupid. 2) The way people talk (the way their speech is written in the script), that hyper-realistic stuttering sputtering go-go-go blah-blah-blah that worked so well in Magnolia and Boogie Nights just seemed glaringly out of place here. 3) It seems that PTA was trying such brutal and expressionistic ways for the Sandler character to show his DEPTHS that he ended up not having much.
I think PTA is in danger of allowing his (formerly considerable)substance to be consumed by his (always amazing) style.
Really a let down. But I'm definitely gonna buy the soundtrack CD!
There were several brilliant moments in this film. It looked and sounded amazing (I'm repeating myself). But by the end I just felt unsatisfied, which is disappointing because up til now, a new PTA film has never been less than a fully enriching experience.
I think I can put my finger on it ... the problem may have been with the writing. 1) The story is, well, kinda stupid. 2) The way people talk (the way their speech is written in the script), that hyper-realistic stuttering sputtering go-go-go blah-blah-blah that worked so well in Magnolia and Boogie Nights just seemed glaringly out of place here. 3) It seems that PTA was trying such brutal and expressionistic ways for the Sandler character to show his DEPTHS that he ended up not having much.
I think PTA is in danger of allowing his (formerly considerable)substance to be consumed by his (always amazing) style.
Really a let down. But I'm definitely gonna buy the soundtrack CD!