À Beira do Caos

If you are in the mood to watch a play turned into a film, much like, "My dinner with Andre", this is the movie for you.

This is definitely a PLAY written for the screen. Most of the reviews I read here kept using a particular word to describe this film. WORDY. In my humble opinion, that is because the writer wrote the play and wrote the screenplay for this film.

This film is also written in a style most of the reviewers never mentioned, mainly because I dont think they have ever heard of it. Most haven't. Mainly because it is definitely not the style of writing someone would normally use for a film. It is called STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS writing. You start with one thought and go, naturally letting your mind just take the reigns and not stopping, no punctuation, just words.

That is this film. Just lots and lots of words. Maybe if they had chosen someone other than the guy that wrote the play, to write the screenplay, maybe it would have been more palatable.

This is a recipe for filmmaking at its finest... Get a dialog driven play, get the playwright to pen it for the screen, and toss in two of the most intense and talented actors (Kevin Spacey and Sean Penn) in the business, supported by a very talented and surprising cast. What do you get? Hurlyburly! Billed as a black comedy, this is more what I would term "black hole" comedy. It is VERY dark, very disturbing, and the humor comes from the characters' need to lighten up a moment or to justify their actions. This film is NOT for everyone... If you're looking for anything truly humorous, this isn't the film. But if you want to see amazing acting and professionals who work well together, this is your film. Read other reviews with cautions on this film--don't confuse the tone of someone who hates what the characters stand for, what they believe in, and how they behave with the quality of the work done by the entire cast.

Kevin Spacey does his usual mannered priss; Meg Ryan and Chaz Palmintieri are unsubtle and poor; the direction is unexceptional. But David Rabe's play is superb (and the cut-down, however it may displease fans of the play, is adequately expressive of the play's meaning). And Sean Penn is absolutely extraordinary--it's the best performance of the year. He gives the play a reason to have been sitting around for years. He wouldn't have done it as well as a younger actor; and I honestly don't think there is an actor working today who could have played it better.

Highlighted by emotional, believable performances by its cast (Sean Penn in particular is typically brilliant), Hurlyburly is not for everyone, but can be a powerful and compelling drama for those who approach it with an open mind. The film is frequently referred to as a comedy-drama, a misleading designation for what is a sometimes humorous, but ultimately emotional and sobering look at life in 1980s Hollywood. Particularly well-done are the cocaine-fuelled scenes which provide one of the most accurate depictions of the drug lifestyle and the effect it can have on interpersonal relationships. The film can seem over-the-top in parts, but the excess is necessary to convey the film's message. Emotional, witty, thought-provoking and on some levels deeply depressing, Hurlyburly is an underrated and under-appreciated character-driven drama that capitalizes on the talents of an all-star cast to deliver a top-notch product.

I remember watching Sean Penn walking up to the podium, accepting his Best Actor Academy Award for his (in my opinion) decent and somewhat accomplished role in Mystic River, and thought to myself the award was more of an achievement for his body of work rather than for the particular film. His role in Hurlyburly is far more impressive than the Jersey-speaking gangster in Great Clint's emotional waterfall of a film. I've always been a fan of Hurlyburly since seeing a heavily edited version of it for the first time on UPN years ago, mainly for its writing and acting performances. The entire ensemble is wonderful - Penn, Spacey, and Palminteri especially - and the writing is believable and clear cut, even though I've never met or been exposed to anyone even close to characters like the ones depicted in the film. The low rating on IMDb surprised me, but maybe I can see why the majority of people either don't like or are rather indifferent about the film. The film-making is not ground breaking by any means, but the content and passion exuded from the actors involved stand out amongst other films like it that heavily rely on idiosyncratic and interesting dialogue. I'd like to see Rabe's stage version to see how he nails it - because the movie is a treat for anyone who enjoys a dose of something a bit off-beat and different.