Miscellaneous Movie Musings

Alex · 12-19-2008, 04:31 PM

Well, I'm definitely out of lockstep with the critics so far this season. So far I haven't been particularly overwhelmed (or even simply whelmed) by any of the consensus critical hits this season.

But I was just bowled over by Seven Pounds, the new Will Smith/Rosario Dawson drama. Which has a 30% rating at RottenTomatoes. Pure emotional manipulation, but I saw the entire conclusion coming from about 20 minutes in and it still got to me.

Yes, it is a grotesquerie, but I think it knows that. It isn't selling you on the idea that what is portrayed is right -- it most certainly is not -- but simply that it is powerful. Reading reviews the thinking seems to be that the movie is holding up Will Smith's character as an example and I disagree. Yes, it is implausable, but one-tenth the implausibility we are asked to swallow to even pretend the standard action movie makes any sense and no worse than frogs falling from the sky.

Anyway, Will Smith is good. Rosario Dawson continues to mature into something amazing.

I recommend it strongly, but lately I'm on the wrong side of these things so you probably don't want to rely on me.

12-19-2008, 04:31 PM	#1
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	Well, I'm definitely out of lockstep with the critics so far this season. So far I haven't been particularly overwhelmed (or even simply whelmed) by any of the consensus critical hits this season. But I was just bowled over by Seven Pounds, the new Will Smith/Rosario Dawson drama. Which has a 30% rating at RottenTomatoes. Pure emotional manipulation, but I saw the entire conclusion coming from about 20 minutes in and it still got to me. Yes, it is a grotesquerie, but I think it knows that. It isn't selling you on the idea that what is portrayed is right -- it most certainly is not -- but simply that it is powerful. Reading reviews the thinking seems to be that the movie is holding up Will Smith's character as an example and I disagree. Yes, it is implausable, but one-tenth the implausibility we are asked to swallow to even pretend the standard action movie makes any sense and no worse than frogs falling from the sky. Anyway, Will Smith is good. Rosario Dawson continues to mature into something amazing. I recommend it strongly, but lately I'm on the wrong side of these things so you probably don't want to rely on me.
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