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Give Kramer A Break
"I'm not saying that Crossing Over is a masterwork," I wrote on 1.31. "It's not. It uses a familiar strategy -- five or six story lines woven into a social-issue tapestry -- in an attempt to be an illegal-immigrant Traffic. But it's really Crash. Which, to some, may sound like damnation. But sitting through Crossing Over isn't hell. Far from it. Within the boundaries of its scheme and particularly given what Kramer had to deal with in post, it's not half bad. The bruises and abrasions show, but it has a certain integrity. You can feel the efforts of a strong impassioned director trying like hell to make it work."
In short, I tried to show a little understanding and compassion for poor Wayne Kramer, the director-writer, and for what he went through in post. Here's a largely accurate article that reviews what happened.
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on February 27, 2009 at 2:03 PM
Essentials
comment #1
MindlessObamaton
says ...
Wouldn't see this with a gun to my head.
Posted by MindlessObamaton
at February 27, 2009 2:57 PM
comment #2
MikeSchaeferSF
says ...
Dargis, Edelstein, Turan, Morgenstern -- it's really getting slammed hard. (Tho' Owen Gleiberman kinda liked it.) I was looking forward to it, actually, but at this rate it may not expand much beyond NY and LA.
Posted by MikeSchaeferSF
at February 27, 2009 3:24 PM
comment #3
Josh Massey
says ...
This should be Ford's lowest grossing film since, what, Hanover Street?
Posted by Josh Massey
at February 27, 2009 3:46 PM
comment #4
Doctor Freudstein
says ...
THE COOLER was an enjoyable picture and I absolutely loved RUNNING SCARED, critics be damned. My affection for that one guarantees I buy a ticket for this one.
Posted by Doctor Freudstein
at February 27, 2009 4:02 PM
comment #5
MilkMan
says ...
Kramer is an honest to goodness shitty filmmaker. He deserves to have his movies cut and recut by various cast members and suits. He's lucky to be allowed to make feature films. What he should be doing is directing episodes of Gossip Girls. Running Scared was one of the most vile movies I've seen in the last couple of years. It figures that Armond White is the President of the Wayne Kramer Fan Club, as Kramer is quite possibly as big a garbage dump of a human being as White is. Wayne Kramer makes Paul Haggis look like Paul Thomas Anderson. And the reason Penn wanted to be cut out of this movie is because when he didn't want his name and image associated with something as dumb, toxic and mean spirited as Crossing Over. At least Harrison Ford has an excuse as to why he's in this film; because he's stoned all the time and has lost all critical acuity.
Posted by MilkMan
at February 27, 2009 4:40 PM
comment #6
ZayTonday
says ...
Wayne Kramer hasn't made a shitty movie yet, so I'll be going to see this with an open mind. The Cooler and Running Scared were BOTH awesome in my opinion.
Posted by ZayTonday
at February 27, 2009 4:51 PM
comment #7
ZayTonday
says ...
Oh looks like Sean Penn didn't like the Muslim honor killing subplot, guess he thought that didn't really happen in the Muslim world. I wonder if he feels the same way now, considering recent events.
Posted by ZayTonday
at February 27, 2009 4:53 PM
comment #8
ZayTonday
says ...
Also, I can't believe that Penn would be surprised that such risque subject was in the movie. Hell, what about the pedophile couple in Running Scared? Had Penn even seen Kramer's back catalog?
Posted by ZayTonday
at February 27, 2009 4:55 PM
comment #9
MilkMan
says ...
I'm going to ignore what I said. I'm just a little upset. It seems that I've had Biscotti crumbs in my moustache since lunchtime and didn't realize it. That I have to take out my anger and embarassment on Wayne Kramer speaks to my poor character and overall supershittiness.
Posted by MilkMan
at February 27, 2009 5:19 PM
comment #10
Edward
says ...
funny, milkman.
Posted by Edward
at February 27, 2009 5:22 PM
comment #11
hunterd
says ...
Wayne Kramer is an AWESOME filmmaker. Running Scared is my favorite action movie of the decade.
Posted by hunterd
at February 27, 2009 5:29 PM
comment #12
MindlessObamaton
says ...
MM FTW!!!
Posted by MindlessObamaton
at February 27, 2009 8:20 PM
comment #13
TVMCCA
says ...
The Turan review of CROSSING OVER was Kenneth Turan in high Bosley Crowther dudgeon.
Posted by TVMCCA
at February 28, 2009 12:24 AM
comment #14
lawnorder
says ...
Man, I can't wait for the day when Turan and Darghis are spouting their loathsome critic babble from the bread line, when they no longer have employers. Their days are numbered. Some of the Crossing Over reviews have been ultra-vindictive as if Kramer entered their houses and shot their dogs. There's a way to address the flaws (which may or may not be there in the first place) in a review without getting personal or taking delight in an artist's failings. I personally think it's a solid movie that will improve in reputation (or exceed low expectations) after the hysteria of its gossiped about struggles in post die down. Although I would prefer to see the extended cut because it feels as if there was a lot of story left on the cutting room floor and from what I hear, the Penn storyline had a Day of the Dead, magic realism subplot, something like a Twilight Zone episode. And contrary to Penn's self-serving politically correct views, not one of the many corrosive reviews I've read so far has pointed the finger at the honor killing storyline as being an indictment of the Iranian culture. So fuck Harvey Weinstein as well. I think Kramer needs to come back at his critics with another meth-induced crazy, violent action movie like Running Scared. I think he should make a sequel about Vera Farmiga's character in her own spin-off - like Vera Farmiga doing her mob wife vigilante-pedophile whacking mom for an entire movie.
Posted by lawnorder
at February 28, 2009 1:54 AM
comment #15
actionman
says ...
kramer gets a lifetime pass from me for Running Scared, one of the most go-for-broke action movies ever conceived. LOVED that film.
Posted by actionman
at February 28, 2009 7:47 AM
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