Since I'm on a movie kick and all, I thought I'd stay on topic for one more post.
This weekend I actually burrowed my way through all the snow and ice to a movie theater to see the film "Last Chance Harvey."
For those of you who haven't seen it, it stars Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson and tells the story of a man in his 50/60's who loses his job, his relationship with his daughter and his flight and is forced to confront what the next step is and why this happened. He meets Emma who is a 40ish single woman and the forge an unlikely bond. (Check out preview here: Trailer )
I read the reviews before going and the critics mostly panned the movie itself, although the praised the acting. The reviews from the users were pretty mixed with some enjoying it and others saying it was dreadfully slow and boring. I went with tentative expectations.
I thought the story was subtle and well-crafted, I thought the characters were fantastic in their very average-ness. Each one was wholly believable, and you could relate to at least one and know someone like the others. There was nothing beautiful or amazing about them in any way (Note: Emma Thompson's horrible scrunchy worn everywhere!) - they were truly just living average lives and more than halfway through said lives too. By the end, I was in love. With the movie and with them. I shed a few tears, I felt pride, embarrassment, joy, hope, frustration-- a whole realm of emotions I usually leave behind when I enter the theater.
Here's the interesting thing. As I walked out the door to the movie thinking how much I liked it, a couple in front of me were talking and they said to each other, "That movie was horrible. It was the slowest ever. So boring." Were we in the same theater? I guess that explains the mixed reviews.
So here's my question to you-- if you've seen it please weigh in. I want to find out if it really was as good as I thought, or if it might be that I just liked it because I'm a few years away from being a 40 year old spinster myself and just related. Thoughts?
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Last Chance Harvey
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3 comments:
Haven't seen it yet but fully plan to, and I'm sure I'll love it. On a more heathen note, have you seen Slumdog Millionaire? I have a general no-rated R rule but I totally made an exception for this movie. Absolutely amazing. Seriously.
Is it okay to comment if I'm a lurker who only almost knows you from A2?
I'm with you on Harvey. I thought it was lovely and thoughtful. Not the best movie I've seen all year, but definitely worth the time and the price, which is how I generally rate entertainment. It portrayed the beauty that can be found in the ordinary shabbiness of every day life. The acting was great, although I had a hard time forgetting I was watching Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson. They were the names that drew me in, but I wondered if it would have been more effective for the movie to have lesser known actors. The ex-wife and the daughter were superb. I left thinking, which is always good. And I think there are lots of people who confuse thoughtful with slow and boring.
I loved it and thought you would love it too.
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