Hell is Where the Home Is : Burns’ Dismally Heavy-handed Dark Comedy
Playing like the crass, harebrained sister of Gone Girl’s infidelity issued ‘hell hath no fury’ treatment like a you-know-what, Anthony Burns’ sophomore feature, Home Sweet Hell plays like a watered down knock-off on all variable fronts. Broadly drawn, familiar scenarios littered with quirky supporting characters comprise this crude lump of a movie, hewn from the burnt stump of privileged suburban malaise, a dish once perfected now over baked into mutations of vulgar shock effect. Surprisingly, however, the very aspect of the film that works against its own appeal happens to be the sole point of enjoyment. But it’s not enough to make the film worthwhile.
Don Champagne (Patrick Wilson) runs a semi-successful furniture store, employing Les (James Belushi), and recently, one additional employee, Dusty (Jordana Brewster). But Don is definitely not the king of his own castle,...
Playing like the crass, harebrained sister of Gone Girl’s infidelity issued ‘hell hath no fury’ treatment like a you-know-what, Anthony Burns’ sophomore feature, Home Sweet Hell plays like a watered down knock-off on all variable fronts. Broadly drawn, familiar scenarios littered with quirky supporting characters comprise this crude lump of a movie, hewn from the burnt stump of privileged suburban malaise, a dish once perfected now over baked into mutations of vulgar shock effect. Surprisingly, however, the very aspect of the film that works against its own appeal happens to be the sole point of enjoyment. But it’s not enough to make the film worthwhile.
Don Champagne (Patrick Wilson) runs a semi-successful furniture store, employing Les (James Belushi), and recently, one additional employee, Dusty (Jordana Brewster). But Don is definitely not the king of his own castle,...
- 3/12/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Gregory Peck from ‘Duel in the Sun’ to ‘How the West Was Won’: TCM schedule (Pt) on August 15 (photo: Gregory Peck in ‘Duel in the Sun’) See previous post: “Gregory Peck Movies: Memorable Miscasting Tonight on Turner Classic Movies.” 3:00 Am Days Of Glory (1944). Director: Jacques Tourneur. Cast: Gregory Peck, Lowell Gilmore, Maria Palmer. Bw-86 mins. 4:30 Am Pork Chop Hill (1959). Director: Lewis Milestone. Cast: Gregory Peck, Harry Guardino, Rip Torn. Bw-98 mins. Letterbox Format. 6:15 Am The Valley Of Decision (1945). Director: Tay Garnett. Cast: Greer Garson, Gregory Peck, Donald Crisp. Bw-119 mins. 8:15 Am Spellbound (1945). Director: Alfred Hitchcock. Cast: Ingrid Bergman, Gregory Peck, Michael Chekhov, Leo G. Carroll, Rhonda Fleming, Bill Goodwin, Norman Lloyd, Steve Geray, John Emery, Donald Curtis, Art Baker, Wallace Ford, Regis Toomey, Paul Harvey, Jean Acker, Irving Bacon, Jacqueline deWit, Edward Fielding, Matt Moore, Addison Richards, Erskine Sanford, Constance Purdy. Bw-111 mins. 10:15 Am Designing Woman (1957). Director: Vincente Minnelli.
- 8/16/2013
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Decoy
Directed by Jack Bernhard
Written by Nedrick Young (screenplay) and Stanley Rubin (story)
U.S.A., 1946
Film noir is film noir because of a variety of recognized qualities which concern both visuals cues as well as some specific narrative aspects, including stereotypical character traits. It stands to reason that that is how the genre, or any other genre for that matter, is recognized. However, there are some examples of films that, by the very fact that they follow the standards of the genre, somehow manage to create their own special uniqueness. It might be because said movie exemplifies those characteristics particularly well. Other examples prove to be more challenging to evaluate as to what makes them special. The reasons may be more difficult to flesh out simply because one is uncertain as to whether or not the picture is actually good. Watching Jack Berhard’s Decoy in preparation for...
Directed by Jack Bernhard
Written by Nedrick Young (screenplay) and Stanley Rubin (story)
U.S.A., 1946
Film noir is film noir because of a variety of recognized qualities which concern both visuals cues as well as some specific narrative aspects, including stereotypical character traits. It stands to reason that that is how the genre, or any other genre for that matter, is recognized. However, there are some examples of films that, by the very fact that they follow the standards of the genre, somehow manage to create their own special uniqueness. It might be because said movie exemplifies those characteristics particularly well. Other examples prove to be more challenging to evaluate as to what makes them special. The reasons may be more difficult to flesh out simply because one is uncertain as to whether or not the picture is actually good. Watching Jack Berhard’s Decoy in preparation for...
- 3/2/2012
- by Edgar Chaput
- SoundOnSight
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