EnemyOfTheState

This movie is an underrated classic and a must see for anyone who wants to know the true meaning of friendship.

Its a simple enough story, 4 adult male friends compete to see who makes the most money, starting from nothing in a strange city (Salt Lake City). Each goes their separate ways: One jumps head first into the money game, doing the hard sell the best he can, another gives all his money away and works as a mountain bike guide, another works as a bar tender and chases women and the forth, and presumably most sensible has all his money stolen by some thugs and is forced to live off the kindness of the others.

As the story unfolds this foursome learn a lot about themselves. We see, for example as the wild eyed anti-materialistic mountain bike guide actually has a more serious side and reasons why he is who he is. We see that the over-eager materialist is really more vulnerable than he seems, we see that the bartender is really weak and we finally see that the forth person is a lot stronger than he seems.

This is really a "guy" movie, but one that is not offensive to women or anyone. Its about friends finding out what makes them human beings.

Its a fun, inoffensive movie and one of the few movies I can watch over and over again.

I am a major fan of any of Franz Kafka's literature. In fact I read everything ever written by Kafka who is the most unique writer in any language.

So I was very eager to see The Trial brought to the screen.

And I can tell you from this film fan's perspective, this movie was the real deal. Filmed in Kafka's home city of Prague, it shows the world that Kafka knew.

Exploring the life and spiraling downfall of Josef K., a young bank executive, it shows a nightmarish world in which a man is destroyed slowly and gradually.

It is a timeless story about being entrapped in a horrible bureaucracy in which there is no escape.

Josef K is visited by two roguish officers of the court and summoned to a bizarre court. The court comes to regular meetings and he is summoned throughout the story. He goes through the entire proceedings not knowing even what crimes he is being charge with.

The bizarre "court" is a cavernous building where families, children, adulterous spouses and bullying thugs inhabit. Everyone inside seems to have a function yet we never see the judges or those who are responsible for the fate of the story's protagonist.

In the meantime he continues to live is normal, dull life.

But the court continues to rule his life. And the harder he fights the court the more deeply entrenched he becomes.

Students of Kafka's literature will recognize the familiar themes: man against an inhumane bureaucracy, the eminant demise of man, the demise of freedom at the expense of rules and regulations, the literal use of metaphores and the ultimate doom of all humanity.

Its not your average story but for those who are seeking something different I would heartily recommend it.

I just saw the film on DVD last night. There was some controversy surrounding the character of Shylock, the vengeful Jewish moneylender. This was one of many modern films based on plays by William Shakesphear. It was also, in my opinion the best.

Just what made this movie work? First of all it was the amazing performances by Jeremy Irons and Al Pachino and several other young actors. But it was also the direction and the on set scenery.

The film was made in Venice and we get a good look of the city as it must have appeared in the Elizabethian era. We see the wealth, decadence and beauty of the location.

But more than anything else it was the timeless story.

A respected merchant-aristocrat (Jeremy Irons) is confronted by his love-smitten young friend to borrow some money so he could court a lovely woman. The merchant has no available cash so he gives him his credit. (Really just his signature on a note, but in those days there were no credit cards).

So he takes the his credit to Shylock (Al Pachino): A bitter old Jew who writes a contract stating if the required sum is not returned that he would demand from the Merchant "a pound of your fair flesh".

In the course of the film we see the conflict between the two worlds, that of the money-lender who is a rather sad and angry character and that of the merchant.

While it may be easy to hate Shylock, Shakespere adds pathos to his character. He is disagreeable and cruel, yes, but behind his cruelty is a lifetime of baring indignities. In one of Shakerspere's most remarkable speeches by any of his characters Shylock erupts angrily at an accuser who considers his demands too excessive: Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, passions, senses, affections, passions? Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same summer and winter as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? We see that Shylock, being a usurer is an outcast. Yet he sees his role in society as being essential. Though he is abused and spat upon (quite literally in this film version), he holds in his heart a secret pride.

Shylock, in the course of this movie looses the things he loves most, his daughter, much of his money, what little respect he has and his own pride. Yet in the end he comes to the court demanding his "bond": "All I ever wanted was just to be treated with the respect due to any human being. I know you don't approve of my religion and you don't like the way I earn my living. But just acknowledge that it is you Christians, after all, who have forced us Jews to become money lenders. And much as you may dislike money lending, it is an essential activity without which commerce in Venice could not function. I don't ask for your approval; all I want is to be treated with a little common decency. Give me that much and I will forget about the pound of flesh." The power of this film, and indeed Shakespeare's work is its timelessness. We can still, to this day see men like Antonio, the wealthy merchant who at the end of his days looks for more to his life. And we too see the Shylock's of the world. Al Pachino as Shylock adds yet another dimension to this story. We all remember Pachino as Michael Corliogne, a vicious gangster in The Godfather who tries to earn his respect and in the end realizes that wealth and power do not always equal respect and that a clean conscience is a priceless commodity. Shylock knows very well he is hated yet he clings to his "bond" because it was all he had in the world.

The film makers, to their credit, give Shakespeare's characters a fresh look. In my mind, some liberties were taken which went beyond Shakespeare's intent. The beginning scene shows Antonio spitting upon Shylock, something which was not part of the original play. We also see a scene of preaching against the jews by priests and angry mob scenes which occur before the spoken parts begin.

I can guess the purpose of this is to show modern audiences what the people of Shakespeare's era already knew.

Regarding the charges of anti-semitism of the play. I will admit that the typecasting of Shylock as being a man with an evil heart may rub some the wrong way. But I also believe that this filmed adaptation went to great distances to give some insight into why "the Jew" (as the play always refers to Shylock) is so bitter. We see the class distinctions which existed of that era. We see the pleasure loving aristocrats as they drink, consort with prostitutes and live a rich life while the other classes struggle for life.

Shylock may be cruel but he was no less cruel than his society made him.