valwilmer

A chance to see perhaps the greatest singing actor of all time. Robeson is robust, young and strong in this picture and the second he is on the screen the film is illuminating and great. Not to be missed. You can feel that robeson was a great athlete in the way he moves around. A combination of Marlon Brando and Otis Redding. Just ridiculous-- the talent, the craftsmanship in his singing, the meticulous way he picks up props. Also, it's wonderful to see him interact with others. There is something so soft, gentle and compassionate-- even in his acting.

Am I the only one who liked Bill Murray more when he was on Saturday Night Live? He has gone from being the common man, the New York Post kinda guy-- to becoming the New York Times slickster. That is, he's become sly and ironic and too smart whereas he used to be just plain old simple and funny and stupidly profound and streetwise and sweet and touching and sensationalistic. I know it's a lost cause, but please- Wes Anderson/Sofia Coppola/Spike Jonze and all you neo-hip-style over substance-self concious- societally knowing-timely-ironic-clever-jd salinger stealing-bannana republic commercial making directors-- Stay away from the other great American simpletons that Murray once was. Stay away from all the things that are simple and real. Because inevitably you'll mess them up and undermine them and complicate them.

A strange movie indeed. The first twenty minutes or so feels pasted together and badly dubbed. But eventually, if one sticks with it, the movie comes together into a smooth flowing train of images, music and performance. Some of the acting is great. Some of the writing and directing is great. The film perhaps suffers from too much raw talent and not enough plot and storytelling, and craft. That said, it is worth watching, and certainly worth watching what will come from this group.