itent

Aside from the production values (script, acting, cinematography, direction, etc.), which were excellent, this is one of those rare movies that incites thoughtful and far-reaching discussion and maybe even debate, that can impact and change people's lives. That, in my mind is the objective of every filmmaker.

Prayers for Bobby takes Mary Griffith's transformation to the next level. Her impact on parents, while substantial, could only reach a small populace. The filmmakers have taken that outreach and (literally) broadcast it to the world. There is no end to the positive impact this film will have, not only on parents and their children, but on those who may have preconceived notions about gay people.

How long was this movie? 10, 15, 30 hours? I felt like it was Wyatt Earp's life in real time. How could so many great actors (not Costner who is the consummate bad actor- the Ryan O'Neal of our time) deliver such putrid performances? Apparently members of the cast were vying to play characters who would get killed early on in the movie, just so by comparison, their lifeless bodies would give a better performance than those actors forced to play characters who were alive. And Costner as a teenage Earp? He sounded like Marty McFly's kid with that horrible forced squeak in his voice. Lawrence Kasdan- how could you allow your name on this POS? Don't even mention the film Tombstone in the same sentence. By comparison, Tombstone is Casablanca, Gone With the Wind and Citizen Kane rolled into one. Costner's Wyatt Earp is the George W. Bush of movies.

Anybody see a parallel between how the death of Jesse James was portrayed and the Biblical account of the death of Jesus? Obviously (according to the movie) Jesse knew he was going to die. He was approximately the same age as Jesus. And he had a trusted member of his gang betray him (Bob Ford in the Judas role).

I don't know if it was the novelist, the screenwriter/director or Pitt who may have tried to parallel the ultimate hero and the anti-hero but I saw it very clearly.

As for the movie, the only redeeming quality for me was the cinematography. The film was interminably long and had all the excitement and action of the dusty picture Pitt was looking at when he was shot. Had they released the original cut at four hours, I would have sought out the descendants of Robert Ford and had him put a bullet in my head.

This was obviously a vanity project for Pitt and he obviously called the shots as this was the writer/director's first credit and apparently was there in title only as Pitt's stooge. Another case of the nuts running the nut house. What a waste of film.