harvurd

When Max (Faulk) delivers that most egregious line about how Ricky lost his carpet cleaning van (after Ricky says, "Why are you picking on me, Max?), I nearly lost control of my bowels. My friends and I must have laughed for half an hour over that one line. And when "the fag" comes in with the horse whip...I mean, what more do you want? Forget it. A lotta energy is lost when the plot slows Ricky's mouth down, but so what? Not since The Big Lebowski have I laughed so hard. I was joking with this girl at a party about how I like to throw out "vibes" (as Ricky says), and she busted me. Seems she had seen Made, too. We laughed and quoted lines for a good while. We had "chemistry." Didn't get her number, however. Some people say, "Didn't get her DIGITS." Man I hate that. Wait.

This movie just charmed the pants right off of me. What a well-executed, consistently paced, gorgeous, gorgeous movie. And Potente! Watching her play lovable and neurotic, infatuated and frightened, and ultimately emboldened through her love of another was an absolute treat. What a physical actor! She tells stories with her facial expressions alone. Just staggering. This is why I go to the movies.

I am shocked at all the praise this movie is receiving. Remember: Fincher, Foster, Whitaker...formula for success? Not here. I've never seen a picture about a safe room, but the standoffs here seem like they've been done to death. It's not too suspenseful where the slow motion and other cues seem to indicate, not funny where the jokes are. And the resolution! A slow pan on thoughtful Foster then a cut to Whitaker in obvious distress, then a fade? Ludicrous! Not ambiguous nor thought-provoking. Just a real miss. A few "camera" moves are good here, but the flashlight shot was the most unnecessary shot in the history of film. Thanks for showing us, for absolutely no reason whatsoever, the inner workings of the flashlight, guys. Yoakam is good here. Cold and funny as a destroyed clown in the end. Otherwise a true swing-and-a-miss for Fincher.