Reviews
American Psycho
- Details
- Written by Matthew Toomey
| Directed by: | Mary Harron |
| Written by: | Mary Harron, Guinevere Turner |
| Starring: | Christian Bale, Willem Dafoe, Jared Leto, Josh Lucas, Samantha Mathis, Reece Witherspoon, Chloe Sevigny |
| Released: | August 10, 2000 |
| Grade: | B+ |
“There is an idea of a Patrick Bateman. Some kind of abstraction. But there is no real me. Only an entity. Something illusory. And though I can hide my cold gaze and you can shake my hand and feel flesh ribbing yours. And maybe you can even sense our lives are probably comparable. I simply am not there.”
Working at his father’s firm on Wall Street, Patrick Bateman’s life revolves around appearances. He enjoys grooming, exercise, dinners at exclusive restaurants, picking up “hardbodys” at clubs and doing as little work as possible - creating the illusion to all that he is a successful individual. Patrick Bateman is also a psychopath.
Bret Easton Ellis’s novel is a work of art. Banned in Queensland for its subject material (which is much worse than that seen on the screen), American Psycho is an intricate novel that has a lot to say about people in the late 1980s.
It is surprising to see the film directed by a woman, particularly as it so acutely illustrates the depravity of men. Her direction and screenplay are strong but the impact left by the book isn’t fully captured in her adaptation. At times the film resembles a jumble and for those unfamiliar with the novel, the pieces won’t always fit together. What became of Luis Carruthers, Courtney Rawlinson, Evelyn Williams? Special credit has to go to the opening credit sequence that was extremely well designed.
American Psycho has had a colourful past on its path to the big screen. Christian Bale was touted as the lead until Leonardo came along, following the success of Titanic, and sought the part. Women’s groups protested claiming DiCaprio’s teen-idol status would encourage younger viewers to idolise his character and DiCaprio subsequently turned down the role leaving Bale to sign on the dotted line.
Christian Bale does a great job in a most difficult role. I was most surprised by his ability to capture the soul of the character - he’s not really “evil”, he’s just a psychopath. Some of his wittiest moments come as he discusses the musical talents of Phil Collins and Whitney Houston and how he kept a straight face I will never know.
There’s a lot behind Patrick Bateman and American Psycho that makes entrancing viewing. It’ll leave you thinking just what it all means and whether such people really do exist. Trust me, they do.
Eye Of The Beholder
- Details
- Written by Matthew Toomey
| Directed by: | Stephan Elliott |
| Written by: | Stephan Elliott |
| Starring: | Ewan McGregor, Ashley Judd, Patrick Bergin, k. d. lang, Jason Priestly |
| Released: | August 10, 2000 |
| Grade: | C+ |
It’s taken a long time for Stephan Elliot’s latest, Eye Of The Beholder, to reach cinemas. Completed back in 1998, it was finally released in the United States back in January and attained a very unusual honour. It debuted in the number 1 spot but became the smallest opening by a number 1 film in over two years. It promptly slipped from the charts with little fanfare. In Australia, audiences were even less impressed with the film opening in 9th place - a big difference.
Eye Of The Beholder is an intriguing thriller. A mysterious detective known only as “the Eye” (McGregor) is given the assignment of watching the boss’s son who is suspected of embezzling family monies. When the son is murdered by a deceptive woman named Joanna (Judd), Eye finds himself fascinated by her and follows her all across America trying to learn more about her.
There’s not a lot more to say. The film is a little muddled but that is Elliot’s intention - he doesn’t want to give everything away too early. All the way, I wasn’t sure where it was going or what it was about and yet I couldn’t stop watching - I had to see how it ended. Therein lies the flaw - the disappointing ending.
Small side items are also a distraction. How is it he follows her around without being noticed? How does he always manage to pack so quickly when she’s on the move? How does he never manage to lose sight of her? What is up with all the snow domes? What happened to the boss? These questions will really only make sense once you’ve watched the film and I feel I’m not the only one who will be asking them.
Ashley Judd always has a strong presence on screen and her exuberance makes her the most likeable in the film. McGregor downplays his role and perhaps was not the best man for the job. Small cameos from actors like k.d. lang and Jason Priestly stop the eyes from wandering but they can’t boost the film’s slower moments (and there are quite a few).
The film’s arthouse style is a gamble that has backfired. There’s little to take away and little you’ll remember the next day. On the back of the disgraceful Welcome To Woop Woop, Stephan Elliott should have a close look at the subject material before tackling his next project. That is of course, if he gets another chance.
Chopper
- Details
- Written by Matthew Toomey
| Directed by: | Andrew Dominik |
| Written by: | Andrew Dominik |
| Starring: | Eric Bana, Simon Lyndon, Vince Colosimo, David Field, Daniel Wyllie, Bill Young |
| Released: | August 3, 2000 |
| Grade: | B+ |
Chopper isn’t your run of the mill Australian film. Many have heard stories, read books, or even caught glimpses on TV of Mark “Chopper” Read and had a good chuckle. This film is not what people will expect. Sure there are a laughs - it’s part of Read’s persona, but there’s a lot more beneath the surface that shows a different look at the Australian criminal icon.
The film is ultimately told in two parts. The first is set in Melbourne’s Pentridge Prision, 1978. Read has been sentenced to over 16 years for the attempted kidnapping of a judge. In the slammer, we discover just how interesting a character he really is. Eric Bana plays the role superbly. It’s hard to tell most of the time when Read is being serious or just joking which makes the film all the more unsettling.
Read is released in 1986 where the film begins it’s second act. We see him back in society enhancing the enigma. Not as interesting as the first half, Read is assisting police in their investigations in return for turning a blind eye to his own activities.
The most rewarding aspect of watching this film is Bana’s performance. 13kg was packed on in four weeks for the role showing how dedicated he was to making the most of this opportunity. It was actually Read’s idea for casting Bana is the key role.
Certainly a different perspective on the violent criminal, Chopper shows that there’s no simple line between good and evil. Read has killed and will probably kill again but his mindset is more intriguing than the bluntness of the murders.
High Fidelity
- Details
- Written by Matthew Toomey
| Directed by: | Stephen Frears |
| Written by: | D.V. DeVincentis, Steve Pink, John Cusack, Scott Rosenberg |
| Starring: | John Cusack, Iben Hjejle, Todd Louiso, Jack Black, Joan Cusack, Lisa Bonet, Tim Robbins, Lili Taylor, Chris Rehmann |
| Released: | August 10, 2000 |
| Grade: | B+ |
Based on the novel by Nick Hornby (Fever Pitch), High Fidelity is the story of one man and his quest to discover why he’s constantly dumped. From his first love in grade 7 to his current flame, Rob always seems to wind up on the receiving end, or so it seems.
He owns his own struggling record shop, which keeps alive his passion for music. He has two faithful employees who are both nuts and his mother and sister are constantly on his case to get married and settle down. Yes, it is a comedy.
This light-hearted insight on relationships is filled with sharp wit but several jokes don’t quite strike the target. Those appreciative of music will adore the soundtrack and constant references to past musical greats. There are a few references to the film industry thrown in for good measure.
It’s a beauty of a cast also. John Cusack is always perfect in these roles and is backed by the quirkiness of Todd Louiso and Jack Black as the two employees. It’s filled with small cameos including Tim Robbins at his very best.
There’s a tendency for the film to drag towards the end but it’s positive to see a different take on romance that doesn’t offer the same answers as all the others. The characters have touching qualities and Rob’s obsession with music is an illustration of the depth of this characterisation.
Falling into the “arthouse” basket, High Fidelity is adult comedy with an M rating. It’s time to roll back the clock to some of your old music favourites. If you could put five songs on a compilation tape - which songs would you choose? The answer could tell you more about yourself that you might think.
Frequency
- Details
- Written by Matthew Toomey
| Directed by: | Gregory Hoblit |
| Written by: | Toby Emmerich |
| Starring: | Dennis Quaid, James Caviezel, Shawn Doyle, Andre Braugher |
| Released: | August 3, 2000 |
| Grade: | A |
Every so often, a film comes along that sweeps you up and takes you away. Frequency is such a powerful and enjoyable viewing experience, it’s hard to give too much of the plot away without spoiling the developments and pleasant surprises.
Frank Sullivan (Quaid) is a husband, father, firefighter and fan of the New York Mets. It’s October 10, 1969 and the Mets are taking on Baltimore in game one of the World Series. Also making news is a rare occurrence of the aurora borealis (Northern lights).
John Sullivan (Caviezel) is a police officer who’s life hasn’t turned out they way he expected. His baseball career went nowhere and he’s just broken it off with his long-time girlfriend. It’s October 10, 1999 and the aurora borealis is once again appearing over American skies.
Pulling out his father’s old ham radio for his best friend’s son, John revives memories of his father who passed away thirty years ago. The radio doesn’t appear to work and John flicks through old photos and newspaper articles and ponders on what once was and what is now.
John manages to get a signal on the radio and starts talking baseball with the man on the other end. The conversation progresses and John finds something slightly askew. The man on the other end shares the same name as his father, Frank Sullivan, and seems to be talking as if the year were 1969. What if...
Director Gregory Hoblit is experienced with twisting subject material given his last two films, Primal Fear and Fallen. His creativity at mixing 1969 with 1999 is remarkable and with the help of editor David Rosenbloom, he has created one of the finest directing performances of the year. Actors Dennis Quaid and Jim Caviezel work superbly together. They manage to create an emotional father-son relationship despite not spending a single scene together during the film.
Where has writer Toby Emmerich come from? Emmerich up until this point has been a music supervisor and created soundtracks to films including Boogie Nights, Austin Powers and Dumb And Dumber. His script, full of magic and enchantment, comes completely from left field. The background subplot becomes a little silly during the final ten minutes but it provides the end result that was necessary.
Frequency is a stunning film that stirs emotions and past memories without the commercialism and tackiness that Hollywood so often provides. The opening credits and scene are smartly created and no time is wasted in developing the story. It may not always follow the laws of physics and has a few small holes but its ability to have you overlook those minor flaws is a tribute to its power.
Wonder Boys
- Details
- Written by Matthew Toomey
| Directed by: | Curtis Hanson |
| Written by: | Steven Kloves |
| Starring: | Michael Douglas, Tobey Maguire, Katie Holmes, Frances McDormand, Robert Downey Jnr, Rip Torn, Richard Knox |
| Released: | August 3, 2000 |
| Grade: | A |
Professor Grady Tripp (Michael Douglas) is an English Professor who’s in the process of writing a very lengthy novel. His first, Arsonist’s Daughter, was a best-seller but it’s been seven years since its first publication and people are starting to question whether Grady still has what it takes as a writer.
It’s that time of year at the Pittsburgh university, where he teaches, for the annual literary festival. Tripp’s editor, Terry Crabtree (Downey Jnr), has used it as an excuse to pop into town to quiz Tripp regarding his new novel. Each year, the festival opens with a party at the home of the Chancellor, Sara Gaskell (McDormand) and her husband, Walter (Richard Thomas), whose head of the English Department.
Grady’s having an affair with Sara and tells her that his wife has just separated from him. She fires back with the news that she’s pregnant, he is the father, and she’s not yet prepared to leave Walter.
Also at the function are Hannah Green (Holmes) and James Leer (Maguire), two of Tripp’s brightest English students. Hannah’s always had a soft crush on Tripp and lives in the same campus building as the Professor. James has always been mysterious in class and never interacts much with other students - he’s a loner.
As chance would have it, Tripp converses with James whilst smoking a joint on the Gaskell’s front lawn and a series of events is set off that would become a turning point in the lives off those around them.
The cast are all super and it’s hard to single out any performance. Michael Douglas is dazzling and it’s great to see him in different role from his “norm”. Frances McDormand is always a delight on screen and the moments she shares with Douglas are a tribute to two of the finest in the business - both Oscar winners.
Tobey Maguire (The Ice Storm, Pleasantville & The Cider House Rules) is the best young actor in Hollywood right now and shows his versatility tackling the role of James. I was surprised as to how well he can play “stoned”. Even Robert Downey Jnr is a joy to watch. He actually missed the premiere of the film in the United States as he was in jail serving time for drug use.
Wonder Boys is one of the best movies of the year. It’s the little things that make all the difference and director Curtis Hanson (L.A. Confidential) has produced a very sharp film. The way he captures the rain and snow (which are prominent all through the film) is beautiful. His ability to show university life in a realistic fashion is also a tribute.
This is a film not to be missed. As Tripp says, “Nobody teaches a writer anything - you tell them what you know, you tell them to find their voice and stay with it”. Great words, great story, great film.