P51Jay

Remember that saying "The sum of the parts is greater than the whole"? Well, here is a perfect example. Hugh Grant and Mandy Moore are perfect in there characters as unlikeable people who appreciate each other's unlikable-ness. Willem Dafoe as the Presidential adviser and Seth Meyers(Sally's Agent)excel as scruple-less people who have jobs requiring such. Seth's time on camera was very enjoyable...maybe a series? Tony Yalda (Omar's Americanized cousin) carried every actor he was paired with and watch your impression of him change very quickly in his opening scene, for the better. Sam Golzari delivers as a "likable" terrorist and makes the part believable although such an oxymoron does not exist. Dennis Quade does the work as the President, but is failed by the writers. Their interest is making the President of the United States a bigger fool than any other character in the whole movie, and they accomplish that very well, which says more about them than the office of the President. The story was there, well developed, into the characters, all going well. Then it turns weird and departs from a controlled belief to "oh now wait a minute". Hugh Grant talks about "projectile vomiting" in his best "Simon" veneer and as the story turns weird, give the person behind you a quick look to see how they are stomaching the ending!

It was good to see Pierce Brosnan play something other than the "top of the cake", however the character sinks below the line of endearment sought by an audience. The writers try to buoy this lesser human by giving him cutting-edge humorous lines in the misplaced belief that this will be the vehicle to endearment. But the comic angle (which has worked for other "low life" movie characters) doesn't get through here because the writers are too mean with his humor.

Greg Kinnear is always good...no matter where he is placed in a script. He did well with a "not quite fully formed" character. The writers could not structure him, in my mind, to place him as the friend of a for-hire killer. Thus, the interaction between them and their further actions together did't make logical sense. There is one scene that is brilliant! At the bull fight. This is believable and you ride with Greg Kinnear as his innocent curiosity is spun out of control and he is suddenly over his head with no way out. This was a great "ride" that the writers took us on.

Overall, there could have been more done to get us on more "rides" throughout the movie, but the writers needed to establish a better reason for Greg's character to embrace the "killer"...and I know how they could have done it.

How do men behave when completely isolated from women. The U.S. Marine Corps is one of those places which displays this perfectly. I saw a mother who had brought her 10 year old son to this movie. I wonder what his thoughts were upon leaving. At the very best it must have complicated what his views on life are. This movie did portray the atmosphere of a Marine on duty...boring, uncomfortable and not at all where you want to be. The only way to keep discipline is to continually call on one's manhood. Thus, women become an objective of purpose, not partners in life.

Being a Marine changes your life...being a Marine in war changes who you are.

With some creativeness from Hollywood, which stretches the reality to ram home these points, this movie addresses what military and war do to a person like you.