On Christmas Eve, a regretful husband admits to his high-spirited wife that he has hired a contract killer to take her out. She immediately flees. A nice couple offers her shelter, but every... Read allOn Christmas Eve, a regretful husband admits to his high-spirited wife that he has hired a contract killer to take her out. She immediately flees. A nice couple offers her shelter, but everyone has dark secrets in this wacky movie.On Christmas Eve, a regretful husband admits to his high-spirited wife that he has hired a contract killer to take her out. She immediately flees. A nice couple offers her shelter, but everyone has dark secrets in this wacky movie.
Featured reviews
This metaphorical story of a woman leaving her husband and coming to terms with the sadness in her life is filmed as if everything is a dream. Mia Farrow plays a truly epic character, and her strength in the role finally proves her more than a beautiful waif. Even the smallest elements are connected to the larger center of the picture, and no strange story is left unexplained. A real joy.
I was going to be all apologetic for praising this film, but if you look at the ratings for this in detail you'll see that the MAJORITY of people give this film a rating of 5 and above. So how does IMDb arrive at its "weighted average" of 4.4? Ridiculous. Lots of '9's and '10's--and are we to think that all of those '5's, '6's, '7's, and '8's are put in to 'game the system'? Puh-lease.
The only thing that keeps this movie from being a '10' for me is the fact that it's crazy plot developments keep coming and coming and coming, with a ton of false endings. It gives you a headache.
But the utter brilliance of so much of this film--Deborah Rush as Trish the embezzler is, all on her own, worth the price of admission! The surprising twists with the Mary-Louise Parker character? The brilliant art direction, with its warped vision of our heroine's world as a winter wonderland in a snow globe gone mad? The plain old beauty of Stephen Dorff? There is A LOT to love about this movie. If you love movies, if you care about and are interested in movies as an art form, you will want to see this movie.
It's incredibly funny, it's beautiful, it's strange, it's wearying. It's not for everyone, but I wouldn't want to be everyone. If you're thoughtful, intelligent, and patient, you will appreciate the superb acting, film-making, and atmosphere this film provides.
The only thing that keeps this movie from being a '10' for me is the fact that it's crazy plot developments keep coming and coming and coming, with a ton of false endings. It gives you a headache.
But the utter brilliance of so much of this film--Deborah Rush as Trish the embezzler is, all on her own, worth the price of admission! The surprising twists with the Mary-Louise Parker character? The brilliant art direction, with its warped vision of our heroine's world as a winter wonderland in a snow globe gone mad? The plain old beauty of Stephen Dorff? There is A LOT to love about this movie. If you love movies, if you care about and are interested in movies as an art form, you will want to see this movie.
It's incredibly funny, it's beautiful, it's strange, it's wearying. It's not for everyone, but I wouldn't want to be everyone. If you're thoughtful, intelligent, and patient, you will appreciate the superb acting, film-making, and atmosphere this film provides.
This is an excellent film by Norman Rene. The final installment of three films that Rene made.
I thought it was beautifully done and particularly loved Mia Farrow in this film.
For me, the film exploresidentity in the same ways as his earlier film, prelude to a kiss....
and perhaps also explores issues related to HIV/AIDS, much like his earlier two films. This is NOT the stage play, like any film of previously written material it illustrates the directors point of view. I highly recommend this film, it's a rare delight W
I thought it was beautifully done and particularly loved Mia Farrow in this film.
For me, the film exploresidentity in the same ways as his earlier film, prelude to a kiss....
and perhaps also explores issues related to HIV/AIDS, much like his earlier two films. This is NOT the stage play, like any film of previously written material it illustrates the directors point of view. I highly recommend this film, it's a rare delight W
I happened to tape this film from TV, and it has become one of my favorites. Whatever failings it may have, and I think it has fewer failings than some might think, it is in its way a tour de force of originality. The combination of gritty downfall with under-the-Christmas-tree fantasy works very well -- and that in itself is an achievement.
Its charms, by and large, are the small things, the incidental scenes that are accomplished in a unique manner, such as a conversation in American sign language between two women who are wearing large, yellow rubber gloves (in the scene they are cleaning a carpet). While I concede that the title seems fairly arbitrary, it certainly does the film no harm, no more than "Magnolia" did any harm to that film, even though "Magnolia" is surely just as arbitrary a title for "Magnolia" as "Reckless" is for "Reckless." In my view, a film that is unique (as well as uniquely quirky), visually witty, and that can arouse and explore entirely new and unexpected emotional territory in the viewer is a film of value. Mia Farrow's and Scott Glenn's performances are excellent.
I would encourage anyone who wants to see something that is entirely different from anything else and that will make an indelible impression, would do well to see this film. And don't worry, the script is just fine; although it is a morality tale, it is not a morality tale with a smug or pat conclusion, as it ends, as it begins, with a weirdly satisfying sort of open-ended grace.
Its charms, by and large, are the small things, the incidental scenes that are accomplished in a unique manner, such as a conversation in American sign language between two women who are wearing large, yellow rubber gloves (in the scene they are cleaning a carpet). While I concede that the title seems fairly arbitrary, it certainly does the film no harm, no more than "Magnolia" did any harm to that film, even though "Magnolia" is surely just as arbitrary a title for "Magnolia" as "Reckless" is for "Reckless." In my view, a film that is unique (as well as uniquely quirky), visually witty, and that can arouse and explore entirely new and unexpected emotional territory in the viewer is a film of value. Mia Farrow's and Scott Glenn's performances are excellent.
I would encourage anyone who wants to see something that is entirely different from anything else and that will make an indelible impression, would do well to see this film. And don't worry, the script is just fine; although it is a morality tale, it is not a morality tale with a smug or pat conclusion, as it ends, as it begins, with a weirdly satisfying sort of open-ended grace.
This is a movie that I cannot turn away from. Although I have seen it twice in its entirety, I have watched it several more times from the point at which I've stumbled upon it while channel surfing. It's truly a train wreck of a movie - from the claustrophobic scaled-down set of the marital home to the way that Mia Farrow's character becomes the unwitting victim of fate over and over. Although she is the protagonist, for me the story is also about the identity-seeking behaviors of all the supporting characters, their search for meaning and wholeness in their lives, the secrets they keep from each other and their perpetual estrangement and lack of intimacy... just like real life, only narrower and slightly more absurd. For anyone who has had experience with mental health practitioners, who couldn't relate to the parade of therapists projecting their own issues onto Rachel's character, and then validating themselves for helping her? Yes, overall "Reckless" is a sad story but its quirky comedic elements give it enough spice to make it a satisfying if not guilty pleasure.
Did you know
- Trivia"Reckless" was first staged by The Production Company in 1983 under the direction of Norman René, who also directed. It underwent some revisions and had other productions, with the first performance of the 1985 published version occurring on September 14, 1988 at New York City's Circle Repertory Company, again directed by Norman René. More recently it had a Broadway revival. Previews began on September 23, 2004; the opening on October 14, 2004 and closing on December 19, 2004 after 77 performances. Mary-Louise Parker, who played Pooty in the movie, took the lead role as Rachel, and Debra Monk repeated her movie role in the Broadway run.
- Crazy creditsTess, Ralph & Juniper ... production dogs
- SoundtracksI'll Be Home for Christmas
(1943)
Music by Walter Kent
Lyrics by Kim Gannon
(Cannon & Kent Music)
Performed by Bing Crosby
Courtesy of MCA Records
- How long is Reckless?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Безрассудные
- Filming locations
- Georgetown, Connecticut, USA(Gilbert & Bennett site)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $103,351
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