Take

review_take

Yes, it is a well crafted production, powerfully presented in the context of the message it hopes to deliver.

But this is where I part ways with the obvious intention of the film, which I can't really articulate here without providing a spoiler to its conclusion.

My point here is that the actions of Saul, remarkably well portrayed by Jeremy Remmer, is framed in the context of a sympathetic character, fraught with a difficult array of bad choices made under duress, resulting in a horrific criminal outcome.

But that's not how such things usually come about in real life. In real life, the perpetrators of horrific crimes are very often myopically self absorbed, violent sociopaths and psychopaths, completely without remorse or even the remotest capacity for anything resembling a conscience.

This is where the film fails completely.

Ana Nichols delivers her version of Minnie about as perfectly as any actress could to portray the circumstances represented in the story.

It's not the acting, or quality of production and directing, all of which were very well done, that I have trouble with.

It's the heavily slanted purported message the film is trying to drive, which is so remarkably out of sync with the actual reality it tries to portray, that makes me back away from offering a higher rating than what I offer here.

Sorry . . . 6 stars is about as far as I can go with this one.

A Thoughtful and intelligent movie, I saw it at the Tribeca Film Festival. The director accurately captured the plight of the characters, the scenes were artfully staged. Great overall impact. This is a movie you can and should see more than once.

The story was told without judgment, you could feel the anguish and redemption of the characters, it was portrayed, not preached. This was movie making and story telling at its best.

Although the ending was predictable, suspense was present throughout the movie. There were a few quirky things going on that made and kept the movie interesting. The only criticism I can offer is that it seemed the conclusion of the story lacked the impact it could have had, although I am not sure how that could be pulled off, the message did get across. The movie is well worth the time.

A great, thought provoking film about the death penalty. This is a movie that will be extremely difficult for most viewers to watch, yet it is worth it for more than one reason. The first and foremost to reason to see this film is that it is a visual tour de force. Every scene looks amazing and the cinematographer constantly fills the screen with something interesting to look at. The second reason I would say to see this is that its script is pretty intelligent. while not above some logic flaws and a frustrating beginning, a murder who I felt needed a little more backstory,the film really does shine when it comes together. Much like Crash or Babel it is a nonlinear story with some different time periods. Minnie Driver is quite good though her accent does come through at points, regardless her emotion is conveyed really well on screen. Overall this film made quite an impact on me and was well worth the time invested! Definitely check out this well made expertly directed low budget film. Cant wait for my next film at tribeca!

I thoroughly enjoyed Take. It was a different experience for me than any other movie I have seen. After reading the Take website (takethemovie.com), I was very concerned about ruining my macho image by crying. It turns out that I did not cry but was profoundly and deeply moved by the movie (way beyond crying). I was riveted to the screen throughout the movie and at the moment of resolution, I found myself understanding life from a deeply new perspective. Take helped me to think more deeply about my relationships with those who have been a source of grief in my life. I think I will be a little bit better person for having seen Take.

Heavy subject, but wonderfully executed. There was enough detail to make the story line real. I loved the "real" feeling of the cinematography as well, it made it more believable. The actors came across as real people. The movie did a good job at letting the audience get to know the main characters - which was absolutely vital for this movie to be a success. I think this movie will be better the second time around - all truly good movies are - as you catch even more of the details. I gave it a 9 instead of a 10 because there were a couple of scenes where the acting was a little bit bland/did not quite hit the mark. This is a movie I would recommend to friends and it is a movie that keeps you talking and thinking long after you have seen it. I am so glad I got to see it. I can't wait to see it again.