"The Claim", an American Westernized rewrite of Thomas Hardy's _The Mayor of Casterbridge_, inherits the problems of its source material; no matter how one tries, this is not an easily adapted or filmed story. The novel used to be one of my favorites, but a re-reading shows some cracks that make the structure collapse easily when moved, kind of like an antique bookcase. So it's forgivable that: <POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT> the mayor's duality (his heinous sin in selling his wife and his daughter as a drunken youth versus his exemplary leadership in running a peaceful town) is not well communicated. (For example, the whipping scene: you think that this'll be a brutal and sickening episode - surprise! it's kind of ordinary, and the point is not that justice is rough out here in the West, but that because of this mayor, justice has a chance at being fair and merciful).
And it's forgivable that there is practically no tension between him and Nastassia Kinski when they meet after many years.
And it's forgivable that the house-moving scene (and the fire at the end) didn't make much sense. (Good cinematography on both, though).
Some things, though, didn't make sense dramatically: Is Wes Bentley's character Dalgliesh supposed to be a good guy? He's supposedly written as one, but really he is directed to be a non-character; he makes no moral choices, has no vulnerabilities or character flaws, and has little to recommend him (or condemn him) other than being good-looking enough to attract Sarah Polley. It's too bad they couldn't have written a part for him. Sarah Polley, however, is a winner in everything she does, and this is no exception; she has two things in her favor; she can underact and she isn't always gorgeous onscreen. She's the center of attention of every frame she's in - except the few she shares with Milla Jovovitch, who is a real revelation here. Jovovitch comes off as the strongest and most interesting character in the film; I want to see what she can do now that she's away from stunt casting.
All in all, I wasn't enthralled with this film; too much of it just lay there. Many reviewers compared it with "McCabe and Mrs. Miller"; I agree, except Altman's movie came back at you after you saw it and many scenes are still riveted in my mind.
That being said, however, this is two orders of magnitude of intelligence, sensitivity and craft above recent summer masterpieces like "Pearl Harbor" and "Lara Croft:Tomb Raider". I'm really glad I went to see it and am looking forward to more from this director.
And it's forgivable that there is practically no tension between him and Nastassia Kinski when they meet after many years.
And it's forgivable that the house-moving scene (and the fire at the end) didn't make much sense. (Good cinematography on both, though).
Some things, though, didn't make sense dramatically: Is Wes Bentley's character Dalgliesh supposed to be a good guy? He's supposedly written as one, but really he is directed to be a non-character; he makes no moral choices, has no vulnerabilities or character flaws, and has little to recommend him (or condemn him) other than being good-looking enough to attract Sarah Polley. It's too bad they couldn't have written a part for him. Sarah Polley, however, is a winner in everything she does, and this is no exception; she has two things in her favor; she can underact and she isn't always gorgeous onscreen. She's the center of attention of every frame she's in - except the few she shares with Milla Jovovitch, who is a real revelation here. Jovovitch comes off as the strongest and most interesting character in the film; I want to see what she can do now that she's away from stunt casting.
All in all, I wasn't enthralled with this film; too much of it just lay there. Many reviewers compared it with "McCabe and Mrs. Miller"; I agree, except Altman's movie came back at you after you saw it and many scenes are still riveted in my mind.
That being said, however, this is two orders of magnitude of intelligence, sensitivity and craft above recent summer masterpieces like "Pearl Harbor" and "Lara Croft:Tomb Raider". I'm really glad I went to see it and am looking forward to more from this director.