I'm an easy sell on an intriguing Sci-Fi premise and Mute has one. A man without speech in a futuristic murder mystery? So much potential. Unfortunately, that potential is wasted in this failed script, despite some really enjoyable acting.
I have several rants about this film. First, there is no reason whatsoever for this story to take place in the future. There's nothing sci-fi about it except that it happens to take place in a time where futuristic cars and food vending machines exist. Other than that, it could take place in 1925, or 1975, or now. Why put it in the future if nothing about the story requires it. I'm no executive producer, but it seems like a waste of effects budget when present day locations would work just fine.
There is no significance to the muteness of the protagonist in Mute. This one is almost criminal. What a great and compelling idea to have a hero who can't speak! Besides some nods to non-verbal communication, and the few times that challenges faced by someone without speech would face in a world moving towards voice-command tech were explored, olmost nothing was done with this aspect of the main character. I need to mention here that Alexander Skarsgård does a fantastic job of conveying emotion without words in several key scenes. But, this is a credit to acting, not the film itself. Which brings me to...
Final rant is that some really, really great acting is wasted on this mediocre script. All three leads are strong, but Paul Rudd deserves special mention as a thief of scene after scene in his misogynistic, narcissistic, scary portrayal of an AWOL medic working to get a new identity for himself and his daughter. Alexander Skarsgård and Justin Theroux also keep the level of acting high. If only they'd had a script that met them at their level.
Why, why, why? Why did Mute make it to final cut in this state? Full of plot holes, almost-great-scenes, wtf moments and some gore that was just Eewwwwww (less gurgling puh-LEEZE!). If you want to see Paul Rudd killin' it despite the script, check this one out. Otherwise, just...no.
I have several rants about this film. First, there is no reason whatsoever for this story to take place in the future. There's nothing sci-fi about it except that it happens to take place in a time where futuristic cars and food vending machines exist. Other than that, it could take place in 1925, or 1975, or now. Why put it in the future if nothing about the story requires it. I'm no executive producer, but it seems like a waste of effects budget when present day locations would work just fine.
There is no significance to the muteness of the protagonist in Mute. This one is almost criminal. What a great and compelling idea to have a hero who can't speak! Besides some nods to non-verbal communication, and the few times that challenges faced by someone without speech would face in a world moving towards voice-command tech were explored, olmost nothing was done with this aspect of the main character. I need to mention here that Alexander Skarsgård does a fantastic job of conveying emotion without words in several key scenes. But, this is a credit to acting, not the film itself. Which brings me to...
Final rant is that some really, really great acting is wasted on this mediocre script. All three leads are strong, but Paul Rudd deserves special mention as a thief of scene after scene in his misogynistic, narcissistic, scary portrayal of an AWOL medic working to get a new identity for himself and his daughter. Alexander Skarsgård and Justin Theroux also keep the level of acting high. If only they'd had a script that met them at their level.
Why, why, why? Why did Mute make it to final cut in this state? Full of plot holes, almost-great-scenes, wtf moments and some gore that was just Eewwwwww (less gurgling puh-LEEZE!). If you want to see Paul Rudd killin' it despite the script, check this one out. Otherwise, just...no.