Lethal Mistake - Bis zum letzten Atemzug

I thought this was going to be an OK movie but it didn't live up to it's early promise (or it's tag lines) and ended up being a very boring movie.

It's got one or two OK chase scenes & a bit of drama but there's not much else going on. The lead actor is a large part of the problem (he's barely there, maybe he was on tranqulisers or something to help him cope with this abysmal script) and the musical score is another problem. If you're trying to create an edgy thriller why on earth would you use music that would be more suitable for some mediocre schmaltzy sugary Hallmark tragic romance flick. That horrible "angelic choir" music completely destroyed any atmosphere this thinly drawn tale might have dredged up. But even with decent sound I don't think this would have been a whole lot better.

There's no mystery, no suspense and no thrills. The actor playing Johnathon did an OK job with what he had, which wasn't a lot. He was convincing at least. The PI was a stereotype. And there was some weird touchy feely stuff between the main dude and the PI that didn't really belong.

After the first interesting 20 mins the pacing drops to an excruciatingly slow amble and becomes much more of a drama than a thriller. I am not a big fan of drama - unless it's EXCEPTIONAL and deals with important stuff - which this isn't and doesn't'.

The ending just drags on forever with no particular purpose. In fact, it felt like they filmed half a dozen alternative "endings" but the director couldn't decide which one to use so he threw them all in. The final final ending was particularly boring and nonsensical. I also knew "whodunnit" pretty early on. There was no surprises for me. The only bright spot was the kid who played Dillon.

BUT I have given it 4 points because it's actually better than a lot of the mediocre stuff around - and that's not really saying much. I think it had an interesting story even if it wasn't portrayed well. I'd love to have seen what a more innovative & confident director with some decent actors could have made of it.

I can't say this is a great movie, not even sure it qualifies as "good" but it has it's OK points and it isn't a disaster. I didn't even fast forward any of it so that shows it at least held my interest (except maybe the end(s) when I started shuffling papers etc while it tried to find a point to finish on).

I DO think it's an excellent choice for say, a guy who wants a night in watching movies with his girlfriend (or vice versa) and can't work out whether to get a chick flick or a boys action/adventure/thriller movie. This will cover both of you, albeit in a not entirely satisfactory way. But if she likes sob-movies she'll probably like it. You can just watch the chase scenes and even score brownie points for offering to make drinks during the slow bits. :D (PS But not if she's a chick like me. In which case you'd be better off renting Suspiria or Ils)!!)

Not for serious fans of the genre or movie buffs but OK for a slow night/rainy afternoon popcorn fodder.

I picked up this film on DVD titled as Bad Seed, because I was in the mood for a mystery and the fact that Luke Wilson and Dennis Farina starred in it.

At first, I found things to be a bit standard as far as "thrillers" go, almost on the level of a basic TV movie. But something really starts to draw the viewer in and by watching through to the end, there is really a nice payoff.

Don't try to compare this to Hitchcock, just sit back and let the story unfold. When Preston (Luke Wilson) hears his wife confess to having an affair, he storms out to a cafe and when he comes back home he finds her dead. By trying to confront her lover Jonathan (Norman Reedus), things get way out of control, even hiring a private detective (Dennis Farina) proves to make a messy situation even worse. It's easy to say these guys do a LOT of stupid, stupid things (like busting up a motel room) and one would think that in reality no one would make such bad decisions, but I took into consideration that people really act in the strangest ways when confronted with a situation that's extraordinary and no time to really think things through. Preston has his flaws, but he's really an okay guy, as is Jonathan. By appreciating the quiet desperation and increasing tension between them, along with the effective rainy locations in Tacoma and Seattle, the film is somber yet tense.

I actually love grey, rainy landscapes -- to me they're calming instead of gloomy. But considering the sadness in Preston's life and both he and Jonathan (as well as the detective) knowing that no matter what they do it's going to end rather messy, the wet greys of the sky and deep greens of the Northwest accent the film in a very melancholic way. The score is beautiful in many scenes, and rather grand for a film of this type made today (particularly one with such a low budget). Actually, the dramatic cues seemed a bit too grand in places, but it reminded me of how mysteries and thrillers back in the 1970s used to have full orchestral scores instead of everything being done on an electronic keyboard. Some very nice piano work, wish I had a soundtrack recording of it.

I know that some would just get fed up with these characters' behavior and think that the film just going to have a typical knock-down, drag-out fight to end it all, but I for one was pleasantly surprised to see the way the story took a turn and threw in a twist here and there. Even the ending seemed just right (even if it gives you a Shawshank Redemption deja vu moment). I felt a little sad yet satisfied by the turn of events, as is how I truly think the ending is supposed to affect you. After listening to the audio commentary on the DVD, you may also appreciate more what writer/director Jon Bokenkamp was trying to accomplish.

Not a perfect film, but by no means a misfire. I found Preston Tylk/Bad Seed to be a nice diversion from the common Hollywood "thriller" and would recommend it for those not wanting grandiose style and wanting a dramatic tale, something just right to watch with some snacks on a night at home, relaxing.

As far as such "psychological" whodunits go, this one had an OK story-line based on a realistic premise. Unfortunately, the acting was poor, and here I am particularly referring to Luke Wilson in the main role of Preston. He was never really convincing as the "cheated husband" out to avenge both his wife's murder AND the fact that he was cheated in the first place. He tried too hard, as I think someone else also pointed out in a previous comment. Dennis Farina was fair enough in his role as the private Dick (though clearly stereotyped), and overall I liked the way Norman Reedus played the Jonathan character (despite cozing up with somebody else's wife, he turned out to be not exactly a 100 per cent nasty person but actually an interesting character study in himself). Although having said that, there were a couple of things he did over the top ... like setting himself on fire, and walking around with the crucial video-tape in his pocket all along(!)

Others have suggested that the viewer not compare the direction of this movie to Alfred Hitchcock. However, the director selectively inserts H. Into this film in a very odd fashion. Strains of Bernard Hermann (Scottie/Vertigo) occasionally rise up. Our hero is occasionally presented as if he were a Hitchcock character, struggling with internal demons. As a result, I found myself imagining what the movie could have been if it had openly embraced Hitchcock.

Another movie that makes you nostalgic for the studio system. In a former era Mr. Bokencamp would have been assigned a film like this, struggled to put his stamp on it and come away with, if not a great film, at least a journeyman's knowledge of how a film works. So called independent films like this one, and there seem to be plenty of them, have no particular vision, say nothing that couldn't have been said by a studio hack and strive awkwardly to transcend their genres, revealing only the callowness of their creators. To be sure, Mr. Bokencamp is thwarted by his lead who was not up to the demands of this role but appealing as his relationship with the detective might have been had Mr. Wilson been capable of bringing it off, it really has no place in film noir anyway. If you soft boil this genre it turns to mush.