En toute humilité: The Humbling

What a shocker...Al Pacino INTENTIONALLY funny! Let's face it, when was the last time anyone couldn't wait to see him on the big screen, or anxiously await the next movie directed by Barry Levinson or written by Buck Henry? When the movie started, all actor-y and reeking in pretension, I started to regret my decision to shower and brave the crap weather to see it. Then, enter Greta Gerwig, the lesbian daughter of his friends who has wanted to seduce him since she was 8 and he was 40 and succeeds. Or does she, because Pacino's Skype conversations with his analyst mixes reality with imagination. Enter a psycho who is trying to get Pacino to shoot her husband, a black transgender male who used to be Gerwig's lesbian lover and Dianne Wiest as Gerwig's mother (hysterical performance) among others, that prolonged laughter in the theatre drowned out many funny lines unheard. My one quibble with this movie is that Buck Henry has lost his ear for writing dialogue for younger characters but this movie was a fabulous surprise. Highly recommended.

I just saw this new release off Netflix starring the duo of star Al Pacino and director Barry Levinson- who's last collaboration was the brilliant HBO film "You Don't Know Jack"; but this movie just falls flat. Pacino plays an aging actor who goes into a relationship with a sexually confused much MUCH younger (LOL) woman- what, isn't he about old enough to be her GREAT grandfather-?? LMAO Well, besides a few amusing moments here and there, the movie was really just a schnooze fest. I liked the stuff about the whole method of acting with Pacino's character's career and all, but am on the fence whether I'd recommend this or not. I'd say- if you're a Pacino fan and have Netflix already- go ahead and check it out, otherwise go watch "You Don't Know Jack" instead... Dianne Wiest (think that was her??) and Charles Grodin (who I just saw on an episode of "Louie" recently) costar.

Al Pacino's Simon Axler says that the hardest point for any great actor is when you can tell the talent is starting to recede. I'd say the hardest for any movie critic is having to watch a great actor do a movie like "88 Minutes." Thankfully HBO has been saving Pacino's cred over the past decade, which sadly still takes another wallop with another lousy theatrical film, this an adaptation of Philip Roth's novel scripted by "The Graduate" screenwriter and renowned comedy writer Buck Henry. The fact that Henry is even still alive comes as one of the few pieces of good news in director Barry Levinson's very sloppy, very irritating, and altogether labored look at something "Birdman" managed to do so easily.

Axler is first seen looking into a mirror, chastising himself for not sounding believable enough before the curtain call for his role in "As You Like It". He winds up having a nervous breakdown (Pacino never once looks like he's not in serious bender mode); exhausted and convinced his view of reality is falling apart, he keeps a shotgun in the house because he wants to be like Ernest Hemingway if that tells you anything. But before he can off himself, Pegeen (Greta Gerwig), the lesbian daughter of one of Simon's old actor friends, shows up at his door, wanting desperately to play out a long-standing crush she's always had. It's creepy and makes no sense, but nobody in this movie seems based in reality.

Least of which the constantly self-absorbed Simon, who has some confusing, depersonalized disorder, falling in line with being this "creepy old man" out of obligation to giving an audience (who i'm assuming is Pegeen) what it wants. Yet he seems to not be rehearsing when talking with a psychiatrist (Dylan Baker) and when another mental patient (Nina Arianda) wants him to help her kill her cheating husband (because she saw him do it in a movie once) he is very unwilling to "go along with the script." "Humbling's" look at mental illness is flimsy at best, but mostly just seems like bullshit altogether.

It also doesn't make much sense to keep adding all these unnecessary, secondary characters. The contrived and impulsive Pegeen. Her harassing, crazy ex-girlfriend (Kyra Sedgewick). Her other crazy ex-girlfriend turned transsexual man (Billy Porter), who now finds it interesting she likes men and won't leave until getting his shot too. And the Nina Arianda character. At times it's like this thing just exists to jam in as many delusional people as possible, it's hard to even remember that when we started, this movie was about achieving emotional honesty. By the time we get to the ending, honesty from any of these people just seems like an afterthought.

Honestly, I had no expectations from this movie what-so-ever. Al Pacino has been disappointing his cinema audience for such a long time that despite a few Luke warm positive reviews I'd heard of 'The Humbling', I still thought I'd just pass it this time. But it was only because of Barry Levinson (Director: Rain Man) that I eventually thought of giving the film a try. AND 'wow', I can honestly say after watching this film that it is Al Pacino who eventually saves it, and Levinson who every now and then allows it to slip.

I felt that in the first 50 minutes the film really moves on and gets a grip on the viewer - however the next 30 minutes are too shallow with Peegen's ex-lovers and Sybil, the psychiatric patient, popping up every now and then and to the extent that it gets irritating and the film almost becomes stagnant. I think Levinson should have edited at least 10 minutes from this segment.

In the last 20 minutes or so, thank God, the story moves on, and as it progresses towards the end, Pacino truly shines. He does actually deliver a brave performance throughout the film. Greta Gerwig also does quite well. It is an actors film no doubt.

In the end once again I felt that Levinson dropped this film a couple of times but Al Pacino saved it. I am also happy that Al Pacino was not predictable this time. For any Al Pacino fan I'd say go ahead and watch the film: it will surprise you!!!

This film can be quite funny but also quite weird, as it had a certain appeal to me and I ended up liking it. Not everything works here, and I would venture to say it's not for everyone, but I felt the parts of the movie that do work, work well and make it worthwhile.

Al Pacino and Greta Gerwig are exceptional here, in the lead roles, and play off each other quite well. Pacino portrays Simon, an aging actor who sees his mental capabilities diminishing before his eyes, thus markedly affecting his ability to perform. Following an intentional leap from a stage into an empty orchestra pit, landing face first, followed by a botched suicide attempt, He ends up in a rest and rehab home for 30 days, before being released into the outpatient care of his therapist (Dylan Baker), whom he has sessions with on Skype.

Gerwig plays Pegeen, who shows up at Simon's front door, one day, and is the daughter of former friends and co-performers of his, many years before. She tells Simon, whom she hasn't seen in many years, that as a child she used to have an enormous crush on him when he would visit their home. Despite declaring she's an avowed lesbian, she begins to boldly seduce Simon and they soon begin a May-December relationship.

All kinds of quirky characters will come and go throughout the film, such as Sybil (Nina Arianda) who met Simon in rehab and now is stalking him to kill her vile husband. Also, Prince (Billy Porter), who used to be Priscilla and in a relationship with Pegeen before the operation. It's fun to see some veteran screen notables make varying screen time appearances, including Charles Grodin, Dianne Wiest, Dan Hedaya, Kyra Sedgwick, and Mary Louis Wilson.

It's nice to see the acclaimed filmmaker Barry Levinson (Rain Man, The Natural) back with a movie on screen, with a screenplay from the great Buck Henry (The Graduate), and Mechal Zebede.

All in all, this film offers something different but, as mentioned it will not appeal to everyone. With the performances of Pacino and Gerwig, as well as solid support, plus some quirky humor, I felt there was enough here for me to enjoy.