My accolades:
It was filled with great performances (Jesse Eisenberg's character was SOLID, Andrew Garfield's was honest, Armie Hammer seamlessly played TWO separate characters, and wait, Justin Timberlake can act? see for yourself--PG13), clutch editing, wickedly skilled directing by David Fincher, and BRILLIANT dialogue. LOADS of brilliant dialogue. I venture to say that Aaron Sorkin, the screenwriter, is a genius and will win the Oscar for best adapted screenplay. It's very rare to find a film these days with that much dialogue and it's even more rare for it to be so engaging.
Plus, who doesn't love a movie based, even loosely, on a true story?
My [minor] complaints:
The obsession with the elitist clubs felt archaic and reminiscent of The Skulls. Sean Parker just happened to be across the street when the chimney came down? And the crazy girlfriend lighting the bed on fire might have been more at home in a Lindsay Lohan movie.
Though much smarter than most college movies, it falls into typical themes and is rated PG13 for sexual content, language, and drug and alcohol use.
5 comments:
Thanks for the review. Quick question, though. Sure, it has brilliant dialogue, solid acting, and fabulous directing and editing. So what? Outside of technique, why should one really go see it?
There has got to be more.
I guess I didn't point it out as clearly as I thought--the true story that it is based on is fascinating.
But even without that, the "technique" aspects are EXACTLY why I go see a movie before it hits redbox.
I know. And your understanding of "technique" is also exactly why I believe the movies you write and are involved with will do what you intend them to do. I'm just wondering what that is.
Thanks for this review Jeff. Movies with brilliant dialogue are my favorite. Hence my propensity to watch old movies. I like it when someone says "you really need to pay attention" when they describe a film they want me to see. 'The Philadelphia Story' (Kathryn Hepburn, Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart, Ruth Hussey - 1940)is one of my favorites. More recently, 'Relative Values' is one where the dialogue makes the movie. All of the characters are very fun and engaging.
On your recommendation I will have to check this one out.
Thanks again.
Jeff, I couldn't agree more. I NEVER go see movies in the theatre, and this one I couldn't resist. Not only am I a fan of Aaron Sorkin, but the story, it's relevance and it's implications are too good to miss. As fate would have it, I saw it on a weekday afternoon in an IMAX theatre. I had the whole place to myself. A bit surreal, but it made for the ultimate movie going experience.
Again, I agree with Jeff, Mr. Sorkin will have a new trophy on his shelf post-Oscars.
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