Camille

The less you know about the plot, the better. The best way to enjoy this movie is to just expect a fairytale. Be ready for a crazy, surreal, comedic & romantic story, and don't try to rationalize any of the wacky things that happen.

I picked up this DVD for $2 at my local Blockbuster, and if you hurry down to yours there may be a few left in the bargain bin. You'll get your money's worth and then some! Packaged as a romantic comedy about a good girl & a bad boy, the description hardly begins to scratch the surface. But I have to commend the DVD distributors for not giving away the story. The fun is when it hits you and you realize what an original, cute & slightly creepy story this is. And the humour follows brilliantly. I advise you not to even watch the trailer (which gives away the story somewhat).

Still, you're probably wondering what the heck this movie is about. I won't say, but you can probably compare it to such surreal modern fantasies as "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind", "Stranger than Fiction", "Being John Malkovich" and an obscure gem called "Grand Theft Parsons". All these excellent films share the common approach of dealing with heavy, soul-searching themes in light-hearted ways. They make you think about your life & your philosophy of living, or... you could just enjoy some laughs & silly times. There's something in it for everyone.

"Camille" is rated PG-13 and even that is a bit stern. There's no nudity, no gratuitous sex or violence, and hardly any profanity that I can remember. Compared to other modern rom-coms, it may seem watered down to some, but to me it was even more refreshing. Like a fairytale, there's something about it that makes you feel like a kid again, even though the story can get pretty weird.

The acting & casting is perfect. Sienna pulls off the lead role of being a hopelessly cheerful girl without being sappy or annoying. Her beau is the perfect counterpart: a cynical rogue but with a boyish innocence and cute crooked smile that makes you instantly like him, even when he's being a total butt. And David Carradine as the wise- yet-kooky cowboy... wow, what can I say but he has a great comedy career ahead of him if he chooses to go that way.

So don't hesitate to go see this film. It's a rom-com, a road movie, an emotional drama, a fantasy & above all else a fairytale. If more movies were like this, I'd probably start going to the theater again.

I recently saw this movie at a screening and honestly, Bizarre is the only word that can completely describe this story. The acting was great and there was really nothing the actors could do about the storyline. I think whoever wrote this was on another planet. The actors did an excellent job with their characters, but I think this movie kind of brings down (especially James Franco) their creditability. I wonder if they signed for the money, cuz honestly I don't see anyone after reading the script say "This is an amazing story that I must be a part of".

I guarantee you, when the credits roll you will look at your movie buddy and say "HUH?!".

As most people I am tired of the by the numbers clichéd movies that Hollywood makes. There seems to be no creativity in Hollywood. Companies only want to spend money on remakes are sequels that have an audience built in.

This movie is a welcome change. It could be classified as romantic comedy for it's genre but don't let that turn you off this movie. This is a very original movie which is not like most things Hollywood produces.

If you are reading this, you already know the basic plot so I will not bother going over that. The only movies that come to mind to compare this to are "Interstate 60" and "Art of Travel" which are little known gems that take a different path than most of the Hollywood garbage.

This is well worth seeing if you are tired of watching more of the same.

Dean

This film tells the story of a man who often has trouble with the law, marrying a sheriff's niece and go to Niagara falls for honeymoon. Unexpected things happen which make their trip very memorable, even bizarre.

After watching so many very bad James Franco low budget films, I expected "Camille" to be equally bad. I think "Camille" successfully set the scene with a strong character buildup, and the film is consistently fun, engaging and suspenseful. It's quite sad to see how Sienna Miller enjoys the wedding while James Franco hates every minute of it, but this exactly makes me look forward to a change in the later parts of a film. Their honeymoon is mysterious to the point of almost bizarre, but it keeps me interested. For the ending, I was really hoping that the policemen acknowledge their mistake, but it ended in an unexpected way. I enjoyed watching this film, I think it's quite refreshing to see a romantic comedy with a twist.

If you like realist fantasies such as Groundhog Day, or Stranger than Fiction, Camille is the movie for you. It qualifies as a good movie, although barely. It feels like more could have been done with the story, but it is definitely safe to say that Camille is original, and charming. For some people that may be enough.

This is the story of the most contrived and surreal honeymoon trip to Niagra Falls. A young thief, Silias, is on parole so he can marry Camille, the sheriff's niece. He doesn't love her, and she is kind of self centred, but if he doesn't go ahead with this, he goes back in the hole. They depart for the falls in a lousy little bike and side car, and they barely get a mile before they have an accident, which becomes a chain reaction for a weird and wonderful remainder of the journey, and perhaps a chance for Silias feelings to grow.

There are two things that Camille would've needed to be on par with the great realist fantasies (such as Groundhog Day). It feels a bit shallow for one thing, and its beauty is only skin deep. For another, it is obvious that the story doesn't take itself seriously and some bits are played for laughs, but not enough to make it work as a comedy. It could have been a tad funnier.

Sienna Miller's career is still young, but each time I see her, I realize that she is capable of variety. She has been to the Venitian Baroque era (Casanova), To Edwardian England (The Edge of Love), A killer super villain in black leather (G.I. Joe) although she wasn't all that great there. Here she plays a really big narcissist but one with a cute touch. She totally upstages James Franco, who has never really done much for me.

I don't think Camille will disappoint. It could use a few touches here and there, but it is likable.