Passion Play

this movie was never intended to be a big film. I didn't read any reviews in entirety only to see if it had any positive feedback which gave me a go for watching it. I was really fooled by the ending where it all came together. The acting was mostly good, but sets could have been a little better. I was involved in the story and felt the love between Lily and Nate. I was surprised by Megan's good acting in it. She played it nicely without a lot of dialog for her to point out her flaws. The director did a good job of inserting her for loss of a better term.

I'd recommend this highly without reservation, but would suggest lowering your expectation level if you looking for high end type film. Perfect for DVD...and I definitely would have seen it an art house theater without disappointment.

How is it that I never heard of this one? A fine movie... Megan Fox CAN act after all and many times I had claimed the opposite. Even though this movie was quite predictable, IMHO, it was still a great watch and we were spared the over-the-top violence that so many other lesser movies rely upon. The only murky part of the film was the whole sequence when Nate hooked up with that over-Inked junkie but I don't want to come too close to Spoiling. I mean I understood what and why it all went down but still... I haven't done a review here in eons but I saw the 4.5 rating for this and felt compelled to get people to give this a shot, well worth it. FWIW, also felt Mickey was the perfect Nate... not sure Bill M was a great Happy but not terrible either. BTW - MFox is only semi-nude but gorgeous as ever.

In Reno, the former successful trumpet player Nate Poole (Mickey Rourke) has one night stand with the wife of the powerful and ruthless mobster Happy Shannon (Bill Murray) and one gangster of his gang abducts Nate to kill him in the desert.

Out of the blue, Nate is saved by Indians and he walks through the desert until he reaches a side show owned by Sam Adamo (Rhys Ifans). Nate asks if Sam has a telephone to make a phone call to his friend Harriet (Kelly Lynch), but he sees a beautiful woman with wings called Lily Luster (Megan Fox) and he asks a drink to her. Then he invites Lily to move with him to Reno. However Sam kidnaps Nate to kill him with a snake, but Lily rescues Nate with a truck and they head to Reno.

Nate plots a scheme to raise some money, offering Lily to Happy. Along their journey back to Reno, Nate falls in love with her and he decides to call off the agreement with Happy. But the criminal finds Nate's hideout and abducts Lily and keeps the angel with him. Nevertheless Nate is decided to rescue Lily from Happy's fortress.

"Passion Play" is a weird film with an awful story, with Mickey Rourke absolutely miscast in the role of a washed up musician that falls in love with an angel performed by Megan Fox. In the 80's, Mickey Rourke was cool and one of the most handsome actors of cinema; but recently, he is deformed and one of the ugliest actors. Therefore, his romance with Lily is absurd and hard to believe and there is no reason for the gorgeous Megan Fox to fall in love with the old Mickey Rourke.

There are also inconsistent situations, especially when the conclusion is disclosed to the viewer. Last but not the least, there are many fake reviews promoting this flick. My vote is three.

Title (Brazil): "O Anjo do Desejo" ("The Angel of the Desire")

Very strong thought provoking movie with a great subtle twist! Having seen this movies rating of 4 out of ten on IMDb, I had very low expectations for this movie. Having just watched the film I would rate it at least a 7!

Mickey Rourke produces his best performance since the wrestler and spun, to compare it it to his most recent work. Mickey is one of the best of all time when he is at this level, in a movie deserving of his skills.

Passion play also stars Bill Murray who displays a performance to equal his excellent display in mad dog and glory, playing a similarly dark character Bill shows that he is equal to the best in a serious role.

Having not been exposed to any of Megan Fox's past performances I can say she was excellent in her role and has great chemistry with Rourke. The score of the movie is perfect and added to the dream like atmosphere created by the movies director, in fact the whole production is top notch, professionally handled by a director who has created some really beautiful scenes. One you will watch more than once if you appreciate high quality acting and stylish direction.

I know it's hip to slam 2010's "Passion Play," maybe because Megan Fox is an easy target, but the film doesn't deserve it. This is a reverent drama with outlandish aspects and a profound ending.

THE PLOT: Nate Poole (Mickey Rourke) is a down-on-his-luck musician in the Southwest who gets on the bad side of a mob boss, Happy (Bill Murray). In his flight he stumbles upon Lily (Fox) at a carnival, a "freak" with wings. They discern a deep connection and take off together with Happy & his hoods on their trail.

The film is very similar to 2008's "The Wrestler," which also starred Roarke. In both films Rourke plays a languishing has-been. In both films he struggles with his love for a young woman. In "The Wrestler" it's his daughter; in "Passion Play" it's an exceptional young woman with whom he has a love connection.

What surprised me is Fox' acting. She's known for playing the stereotypical hot chick, but here she plays a sweet, innocent woman struggling with an abnormality, and she does it very convincingly.

Also, Rourke (Nate) and Fox (Lily) have good chemistry. Yes, Nate is about 30 years older than Lily, but – it doesn't matter – their connection is real, sort of like Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson in "Lost in Translation."

The score is reverent and moving and fits the tone of the film.

The ending is both surprising and effective, even though there are obvious clues. See "COMMENTARY ON ENDING" below.

The film was shot in New Mexico and runs 94 minutes.

GRADE: B

***SPOILER ALERT*** (Don't read until you've seen the film)

COMMENTARY ON THE ENDING: Although some interpret the ending to mean the bulk of the story is Nate's death dream, it more likely indicates that Nate was in some type of purgatorial spiritual realm where God offers a second chance for the lost. Nate passes the test and is ushered into eternal bliss. Since it's some type of spiritual realm where God is sovereign, the reality may be set-up in a holographic sense, similar to Star Trek's Holodeck. In that case, the people Nate experiences aren't real at all; they're there simply as a part of Nate's test.

At any rate, the ending gives the story purpose in an eternal scope. Instead of some silly fantasy about a hard-luck musician meeting some ultra-beautiful woman with wings who learns to fly while simultaneously delivering the man from some serious heavies (why sure!), the story becomes a tale of eternal redemption for a languishing dumb bastage who foolishly messed around with a mob boss' wife.

At the end you see Nate smiling with true joy as the angel sweeps him off to heavenly bliss. God gave him a second chance at redemption and he escapes this piece-of-sh** world.