The Pages

I enjoyed this movie - it was good to see Jamie lee Curtis again. Interesting story about crooked politics. It was a little slow to gear up but midway through the movie it really got moving. I wish the ending would have expanded a little bit but at least you knew pretty much what happened, Definitely one of the better movies I've seen in a while.

Libby (Sumpter) is hiding a dark secret that is eating her alive. From the very first scene in the movie, we know that Rachel (Curtis) has suborned Libby into a Faustian bargain -- selling her soul to the Devil for a few moments pleasing the minions of power. As Lord Acton so eloquently told us, "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men...",

Both political parties have been guilty of this kind of abuse of power -- both Bush Jr. and Obama -- betraying their oaths of office. Though it seems to mock Republicans, it could just as easily have been about Democrats.

But this story is more intimate. It crawls under the skin of its protagonist, feeling the somber burden -- wincing at the finger pointing and uncomfortable looks from others.

Both Sumpter and Curtis deliver powerful performances. Sumpter, as Libby, lets us feel the heavy regret for having participated in a lie that killed so many. Curtis, as Vice President Rachel Burke, lets us see the mental gymnastics politicians go through to justify crimes against humanity.

Not sure why such a low score. Well made, good acting, politically driven and undeniably believable in the real world. I enjoyed this as a Sunday night film, I was interested and enjoyed it. Sure... it didn't blow my mind, I was aghast at what I was witnessing, I wasn't bowled over eyes peeled on the edge of my seat. But it was entertaining and a strong film... certainly wasn't a waste of time or anything so negative. Would def. recommend as a drama, political thriller type. Good cast too.

It started slow, but by the end, I was very glad I had hung in there.

I was ready to switch off twenty mins in, but actually it's quite a good film. I think they could have cut it at 1h30 mins. Also the make-up got on my nerves, I mean how do you even make a black woman look washed out. At least put some mascara on her.