Final Cut

This film is so bitter, it does not surprise me most of the comments are negative. Yet, what I saw was a big, dumbfounding answer to all these so called "reality shows" around us on tv, that we all watch so willingly.

You see, there is a huge difference between being AWARE that you are being watched and not knowing it. No one can be true when he / she is consious of being watched AND THEREFORE JUDGED.. That why this is not likeable: reality bites.

What we see is people as they REALLY are. The fact that they are forced to face their true selves leaves every single one of them devastated - even Sadie. The undeniable revelation of their self pretense crushes everyone. Even the dead -Jude- is revealed to himself and the rest, this game has gone out of his hands.

Yet, there is an objection: the film somehow finally crushes all human relationships by not making clear that not ALL people act this way. Somehow the point seems to be that we should loose faith in any friendship and all relationships in general. This is why there should be a much clearer grading of people and situations.

I watched the DVD last evening and found myself for the first time on hundreds of films fast-forwarding through most of it.

How in heavens' name can it be said that these were secretly taped scenes when half the time the subject is making google-eyes at the camera like some 12 year old?

I really think I may have seen better home videos of kids' birthday parties (surely more genuine). (Or was the 'tinkling' in the bathroom supposed to be some kind of 'high spot?')

This film is utter, utter tripe.

Self indulgent nonsense - how on earth did they get anyone to finance this? Or did they do it themselves? I would guess the latter - if anyone other than cast has invested in this rubbish then I would imagine they are, quite literally, sick as a dog.

I can just imagine them all sitting down together saying 'Oh, we're the cream of the British film industry - let's do something all together! Don't care about script or plot - let's make it up as we go along! As long as Jude and Ray are in it, the public will pay to see it!'

And Law and Winstone really do give the only half-decent performances in this crap. Winstone almost looks embarrassed - as he well should.

0 out of 10.

There is one word I can use to sum up this film: weird. It's one of those films that, even though you're thinking it's really quite slow and boring, you can't actually get up and walk out of it because it is nevertheless still gripping. Not a film I would particularly recommend for anyone to spend their hard earned cash on, but not as bad as some reviews have made out. It would probably be better watching it in the comfort of your own home.

I recently watched Final Cut on video. I thought that some of the camera work was very clever and, to me, original. I was very intrigued by the premise of somebody making a film by manipulating friends as well as recording them on a candid camera. However I was hugely disappointed. The idea of letting the actor's improvise is very good, if the director/writer are able to distill that into a sharp image for the audience. I felt that that was where Final Cut falls down heavily. Ray Winstone was forced? /allowed? to dominate the film in a way which ended up as being very unbalanced.On the other hand it appeared that others were left to flounder and turn in some very hackneyed work. Some scenes worked while a large number were, for me completely irrelevant. In a number of areas my impression was that a very good and interesting premise was ruined by a lack of discipline on the part of those behind the fim.