Played Like An Organ

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Spoiler Whiners Beware: Just to be fair about things, N.Y. Post critic Kyle Smith is calling Seven Pounds the third-best movie of '08, or at least his choice for same. This Gabrielle Muccino-Will Smith film, he says, is "simple but perfect, so classically structured that, except for the modern technology in it, it's like a redemption fable handed down from the ancients."

Smith's critical colleague Lou Lumenick, already concerned with Smith's growing grandiosity, feels differently. He says -- HERE IT COMES, SPOILER-AVERSE! -- that Seven Pounds (Columbia, 12.19) "should be more accurately titled Seven Hundred Pounds of Schmaltz...it's like Pay It Forward with organ transplants" with Smith portraying "a suicidal savior."

Uh-oh....I can already hear and feel the reader rage. We work very hard at keeping our heads in the sand, the spoiler whiners are saying, and since we believe that story and subject matter are 90% if not 95% of the game and that how the film is made -- the undercurrents, the things that are not said but felt, the tone and pace of it, the emphasis choices, the performances, the music, the editing style, etc. -- is strictly an esoteric toss-up that no one can finally gauge the quality of one way or the other, we believe it is out right and our duty to hunt down Lumenick on the streets of New York and let him feel our wrath first-hand.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on December 7, 2008 at 9:39 AM

comment #1

lonniechung says ...

If this is the plot of the movie, and revealed somewhere in the first third, it is not a spoiler. I may have spent some time thinking about the significance of the title, but the gist of the movie seemed clear and never felt like a Crying Game-type reveal. To invoke the unholiness of Pay It Forward seems accurate according to the marketing campaign, and it is no surprise that if a studio wants to make a blockbuster it will bludgeon you with the film's morality from the outset.

Posted by lonniechung at December 7, 2008 10:41 AM

comment #2

oranthal james says ...

Dearest Jeffrey, did you happen to notice the last sentence?

"We didn't choose our usual five worst movies this year because this piece was coming just 10 days after my annual Turkey Awards -- just in case you were wondering what happened to Steven Soderbergh's "Che,'' which Kyle will be reviewing for Friday."

Posted by oranthal james at December 7, 2008 11:06 AM

comment #3

p.Vice says ...

Well, they both picked Slumdog Millionaire as the best film of the year, so arguing over a sentimental Will Smith movie is kind of like the pot calling the kettle black.

Posted by p.Vice at December 7, 2008 11:19 AM

comment #4

DarthCorleone says ...

Why would we whine about spoilers when you gave us ample warning?

That said, this is one of those films where I have next to no interest in seeing it, so I don't care about spoilers. Plus, I agree that in this particular case the spoiler of the plot doesn't appear to be that critical and that the undercurrents will be much more important.

It appears the only reason it's a "spoiler" is because of the intentionally vague advertising campaign that doesn't want the audience to know the film's central conceit beforehand. (Perhaps because it's not interesting and works better as a mystery?) Maybe I'm wrong; maybe the film is structured like a mystery. Regardless...meh.

Posted by DarthCorleone at December 7, 2008 11:25 AM

comment #5

deadre says ...

so what's the point here, that the movie is left up to the taste of the viewer? that's nothing new. is it good or is it a waste of time and a tv movie with great effects. that's what i want to know. if you've seen it, please spill....thanks

Posted by deadre at December 7, 2008 11:25 AM

comment #6

llumenick@aol.com says ...

Just wanted to make it clear the Smith whose grandiosity gives me pause is Will, not Kyle (no relation). BTW the suicidal part, at least, is clear from the opening sequence.

Posted by llumenick@aol.com at December 7, 2008 11:45 AM

comment #7

Chase Kahn says ...

pVice is going to turn every article into a forum to bash SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

Posted by Chase Kahn at December 7, 2008 12:20 PM

comment #8

bildeaux says ...

I actually guessed that is what was going on from the trailers. Anybody else?

Only thing I didn't get was the suicide part. I figured he was dieing soon of natural causes and was just looking to hand out body parts.

Still don't plan on seeing it.

Posted by bildeaux at December 8, 2008 8:42 AM

comment #9

janee says ...

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Posted by janee at May 19, 2011 3:31 AM

comment #10