TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews
Jude is dead(and not in this all that much). At his funeral(note that there are almost no real introductions, you're just there and you gradually figure out what is going on, what you're seeing), his widow Sadie asks that the group of friends and couples sit down and watch the movie he was working on, and that they allow themselves to be filmed(and for some reason, while they do behave like there's a camera near them some of the time(and these operators appear to not know how to zoom, so they shove it into their subjects face instead), about half the time, they apparently completely forget it; yeah, some of this utterly falls apart beyond restoration when you stop to think about it). It turns out to be a documentary, assembled largely from footage captured with hidden recorders(there are a few interviews), and that is what we follow, as well... the two layers of fiction pretending to be fact. It'd probably work better if there were more reaction shots. Anyway, secrets come out and we see how their relationships are(are they playing themselves? Possibly). I should clarify something; this didn't bother me from the cruelty of the stunt, and the "different" style didn't ruin this for me... make your piece however you feel it should, and don't let people complain just because it isn't mainstream. The thing is, this really had potential... and still does. I'm sure this wanted to make some significant point, though it didn't get there. Yes, this is nihilistic and cynical... I didn't mind that. Others will. The pace is uneven and this comes off rather unfocused. You know, what little exposure to reality shows(yes, I hate them; that wasn't my issue with this) I've had, they actually do have plot lines and encourage continued viewing... this comes off as not wanting you to watch. I mean, you feel bad about it. OK, maybe that was the idea. If it was either real, or credible through the entire thing, maybe it would still work. Or if it didn't eventually go for a coherent story structure, at the end when it also stops being believable(and don't get me started on the anti-climax). The "twist" is so predictable you're sitting there wondering if they're serious. Winstone dominates this unchallenged... and yes, he(and the other men in this) delivers a great performance(good thing, because the women do *not*). The man is quite imposing... but you need counterweight. Some of these characters *really* don't need to be there, you could cut them out and you wouldn't miss them at all. None of them are wholly likable. This has a lot of improvisation and they used the first takes(they would add content if something was reshot... it shows). The editing is reasonable. This has odd framing and this feels "natural"(...a bit of the way, at least), with fast talking and slang(you'd better be British or have better subtitles than the copy I got as a gift did). There is a ton of strong language, a little bloody violence, disturbing content(this is gross at times) and sexuality and brief male nudity in this. The DVD comes with 8 trailers for different flicks, one of them for this. I recommend this low-budget 87 minute(sans credits) indie to those who merely want to see the concept of witnessing humanity's true ugliness... regardless of how well-executed it is. 6/10
bcheers
I hadn't heard of this film and hired it with low expectations. It was with delight, therefore, that I found myself totally absorbed by this unusual and gripping story. The male actors, especially Jude Law were superb. The character of Ray (Ray Winstone) with his barely suppressed violent nature was one of the best seen on film for some time. I found the female actors to be below average, but good direction made them almost plausible. My idea of a good film is one which sits in my subconscious for some time after viewing. I woke up this morning still processing it in my mind and I think it will be there for some time yet.
eweinstock
Wow, what a sub-par movie. Just because the script is improvised isn't an excuse to skimp on plot and acting. The only redeeming aspect of this movie was seeing Jude law in his underwear for 5 seconds at the beginning of the movie, you can just turn it off after that. You know the ending as soon as you've met all the characters. Ray Winstone gives a semi decent performance but the actress who plays his wife and the Sadie Frost do a very poor job. Jude is alright I guess but then again you only really see him in snippets and half the time it's just what I'm sure he thought were wry one liners that just kind of seemed contrived on viewing. Jude doesn't make the best choices when it comes to movies (just look at Music from Another Room), and this is a prime example. Someone needs to fire their agent.
Donna-38
There is one word I can use to sum up this film: weird. It's one of those films that, even though you're thinking it's really quite slow and boring, you can't actually get up and walk out of it because it is nevertheless still gripping. Not a film I would particularly recommend for anyone to spend their hard earned cash on, but not as bad as some reviews have made out. It would probably be better watching it in the comfort of your own home.
