Reviews

3 Reviews
Sort by:
Filter by Rating:
7/10
Purple Violets Is A Nice Addition to the Burns Collection
21 November 2007
I have to say, I liked "Brother's McMullen" and "She's The One" when they came out and find them to be in the same New York Tradition as a lot of the other dying breed of New York Romance genre films. I also enjoyed that I could download it via iTunes instead of having to make a day of it to see it at one of the few theaters that still shows independent movies.

Although not his best work, I think Purple Violets is still a laudable addition to Burns filmography.

In regards to the comments by Micheal C., I think he must have recently gotten a parking ticket, or woke up in bumper to bumper traffic because clearly he isn't seeing the same film as others. As far as the story not making any sense...what in particular didn't make any sense? In one story line you have a woman who is dealing with a husband who is increasingly unavailable and dealing with emotions from a love of her past.

In another storyline you have an alcoholic lawyer who is making amends with his past, and maybe hoping that in addition to forgiveness he can find his way back into the heart of the love of his life. You may think that the story is unrealistic, a skeptic or jaded person might even find the whole romantic aspect to it dated, but it hardly is nonsensical.

As far as Characters being obnoxious and performers overacting, and script rife with clichés? This comment writer must have been watching the latest iteration of Peter Pan or Tarzan, but certainly not this movie. Ed Burns himself cannot be considered an over actor. If anything he is usually more cognitive than emotive. I think that all the players, save Messing, stay well within acceptable norms of behavior in regards to "overacting." The only character I found to be uniformly obnoxious is Donal Logue, who played Blair's British husband, and he was supposed to be obnoxious. Interesting note: I have only seen my sister's husband who is a chef cook once and I have eaten with them many times. The last thing they want to do when home is cook anymore. Finally as far as cliché goes, each romantic movie is going to have a bit of cliché in it. But there is always the aspect of character to make it at least something to follow and get into, and I think the characters in this movie offer that, and in fresh new ways. Besides, you really can't have it both ways, either a script makes no sense (not cliché) or is predictable (cliche) you can't have it both ways. I think the film balances some age old romantic plot devices with some new fresh commentary on various aspects of modern life.

As far as it being the worst movie the writer had seen all year, the comment writer must not get out much. I have seen many worse movies over the span of the year. Some I have forgotten, others I wish I could forget.

I don't think the writer of said comments actually watched the movie and seemed more annoyed by small aspects of it. For instance, his wife does not catch him masturbating to internet porn, but to 900 numbers. And although one can be annoyed at people with money carping about unhappiness, it does happen. Money does not make problems go away.

Hate to say this, but not all writers sit around and bat witticisms to one another while sipping Manhattans, and I bet there are many lawyers who don't get that much into their clients business. Finally, it is a movie, if you wanted it to be a true life biography about a writer watch Faulkner week on the history channel.

That being said, it takes all kinds.
50 out of 68 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
Nacho Libre (2006)
7/10
Jack Black and the Director of Naploleon Dynamite...pure Gold
5 July 2006
Warning: Spoilers
I think the people that didn't like this movie probably were expecting something a little more formulaic perhaps? Maybe they expected to see Jack Black as he appeared in King Kong? Or Jack Black as he appeared in Hi Fidelity? I thought the movie was funny because of the intense desire Black portrayed at becoming a "great wrestler." There is an odd Peter Sellers Cato duality with his co-star that I found endearing. Also the way Black preens in the "Stretchy pants" is hilarious.

All the little nuances of the movie made it funny and how they moved from being slapstick to subtly gave the movie an off-balance feel. I never knew where it was heading and that is another reason I liked it. We didn't know if Ignacio was going to get the girl. We never even knew if they were ever going to win a wrestling match. The fun of the movie was watching them try.
0 out of 5 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
Click (2006)
7/10
Sandler's most meaningful movie?
4 July 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Although I enjoyed "Click" I thought that Sandler's movie Spanglish, was arguably the most meaningful as it didn't really contain many comedic elements to it at all. I imagine though some people could argue that "Punch Drunk Love" was perhaps his most dramatic, if not eccentric movie to date. Click is very Capra-esquire in it's "Look at this wonderful life you are missing" type of side effect the remote control has, but the movie retains a bit of the fantasy to it. The supporting cast for this movie though was probably one of the best he has had in his recent movies. The teaming up with the same director that was with him on a couple of his other movies, the Wedding Singer, as well as the Waterboy was not bad for the movie either. Coraci and Sandler work well together. Much better, I think, than when Coraci works without him like in "Around The World in Eighty Days"
1 out of 5 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Recently Viewed