comment #1

thatmovieguy says ...

It's pretty to look at, but what a mess: Michelle Williams' character is so cryptic that the role is unplayable and Jackman doesn't seem terribly inspired, which leaves poor McGregor to carry the movie. He tries, but it's a waste of energy. The first 45 minutes are like a poor man's EYES WIDE SHUT with a dash of BAD INFLUENCE thrown in, which makes for a fairly enticing set-up. But once the plot twists start up, watch out. It's absurdity on top of absurdity, with sloppy editing and continuity to boot. I could have sworn the ending was slapped together in the editing room using B-roll leftovers. I suspect this is the sort of "credit" no one will keep on his or her resume for very long, particularly Jackman.

comment #2

AH says ...

Said it before, will probably say it again: Jackman has the worst taste in movies.

comment #3

BurmaShave says ...

Evidence?

comment #4

AH says ...

Ignoring the awful "Viva Laughlin," which he also produced, Mr. Jackman has made 11 movies since the X-Men. Of these
four are complete disasters (Someone Like You, Swordfish, Van Helsing, and Scoop). Scoop is not his fault though, its Woody's.

The other sucky ones are Kate & Leopold, X-Men: The Last Stand (which he termed the best of the bunch), Flushed Away (Aardman gets some blame for this), and Happy Feet (Miller's to blame there).

So, that leaves three movies: The Prestige, The Fountain, and X2. One was contractual probably, so that leaves two.

Of course, we aren't talking about commercial but artistic merit.

comment #5

swhitty says ...

You know, they weren't going to screen this one (demonstrating their faith in it) and then hastily did (showing, I think, that they suddenly remembered they still had a relationship with Jackman, and have had one in the past with McGregor, which they might want to keep in good repair.)

All that said, yes, it's a poor movie, with a third-act "twist" you can see 20 minutes before it happens and a lot of psuedo-erotic entanglings which, once you have the time to think about them,, have nothing to do with the movie at all.

(And what I really want to know is, what's Ewan McGregor's problem with grooming and costume? He walked through "Stay" wearing floods, and here his hair looks absolutely filthy.)

But give the movie credit, at least, for casting Charlotte Rampling as one of McGregor's love objects -- and not making any mention of the fact that she's a quarter-of-a-century older than he is. The lady still looks great -- and is about a thousand times more erotic (and intelligent) than anything else in the film.

comment #6

breadlymoore says ...

"You know, they weren't going to screen this one (demonstrating their faith in it) and then hastily did"

Kinda. Fox only allowed certain press to see it. They call that a "Lionsgating."

comment #7

BurmaShave says ...

AH I would definetly agree with your thesis, but I would submit his track record isn't any worse than many stars, and that most actors would kill for films like THE PRESTIGE and THE FOUNTAIN, in one fall no less.

comment #8

K. Bowen says ...

I like that his taste is different. THe Prestige is a very good film. The Fountain, at minimum, is a very interesting failure. They took guts to choose, and you would like to see him rewarded. Or at least I do.

comment #9

JBM... says ...

"It's pretty to look at..."

Spinotti and hi-def. Only reasons I'm going. I know what I'm in for.

comment #10

jany says ...

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