We both want to wish all of you out there in blogland a very Happy Holidays! We’re at a family reunion in Montana combined with moving Grandma Dort from her big house in the country to her new patio home in the city. It may be cold and windy here, but our hearts are warm to be with family.
We look forward to blogging our opinions for you in the New Year – so hard to believe we’re looking at 2008! May it be a better year for the whole world! Thanks for visiting. Dianne and Liz
Liz here, and for the first time, I am actually giving my opinion on a recent film opening, “American Gangster,” though it is a bit of a late review. First, I enjoyed the film, even if it was a bit long at almost three hours. Both Russell Crowe (as the dedicated detective Richie Roberts) and Denzel Washington (as the New York drug lord Frank Lucas) give wonderful performances in a story based on actual events that occurred in the 1970’s. Crowe’s portrayal of the embattled Roberts draws the audience into the detective’s struggle to remain a “clean” cop in a world full of police corruption. Roberts is a character that is both vulnerable and strong-willed. He fights crime while, at the same time, is losing the battle to maintain a relationship with his young son; and he is unwilling to give up either battle. We sympathize with and like Roberts because of the battles he faces and his intelligence and integrity.
Frank Lucas is surprisingly also a likable character. The audience cannot help but be entertained by Washington’s charismatic performance as the drug lord whose innovative ideas helped create a heroine epidemic in the city of New York. While the film never shies away from showing the nature of Lucas’ business (with scenes complete with piles of heroine and naked women who prepare it for sale-who are presumably naked so they can’t steal any dope), his drive to succeed and remain independent from the mafia hold a certain appeal. He is somehow living the “American Dream,” coming from nothing and becoming successful out of his own ideas, so it is almost to be admired despite the way he achieved his enormous success. All of this, however, in such a film, must come to an end with Roberts and Lucas eventually meeting towards the end of the story. The anticipation of this meeting builds throughout the film, though the story takes an unlikely turn. I won’t give away the ending, but it’s a film worth watching. “American Gangster” was directed by Ridley Scott and written by Steven Zaillain.
Dianne here. I was at the eye doctor today trying out my new reading contact and read an interview with Denzel Washington in Reader’s Digest. In it he talked some about his current movie, American Gangster, that he wanted to show in his betrayal of a drug king that “there are consequences” to our behavior.
I didn’t see that when I saw the movie last Friday night. Instead, my husband and I agreed that Washington’s character was likable as was the cop played by Russell Crowe. In other words, we cared about what happened to these two men, who don’t even meet until close to the end of the movie. Without giving away the outcome, there are others in the movie that are not likable and do get what is coming to them. Indeed, they suffered the consequences.
I enjoyed the movie, even though it is close to three hours long, and recommend it to anyone who likes good crime drama. But because a scene towards the end was a bit too much like The Godfather, I can’t give it a High Five. Four out of Five was still worth the five dollars I plunked down.
Dianne here. I just saw John Cusack on James Lipton’s “Inside the Actors Studio” and it reminded me of one of the best movies I have seen in a long time – Martian Child. John gives, in my opinion, an Oscar worthy performance. But then, I think he’s one of the best actors of his generation.
He makes sure the audience knows how much he cares for the Martian Child he takes into his home, as well as giving them hope that not every child gets “lost” in the foster system, that some actually find love and security.
I don’t want to tell you any more about this movie, except it also stars Joan Cusack, John’s sister, playing his over-protective sister. Go see it while it’s still in theaters. I give it a High Five.
