Balanced is the word that comes to mind to describe this movie, and that would not ordinarily make it a 9 star in my books but the balance that shows up in this movie is the one that would in an expertly cooked classic recipe. It has all the markings of an ordinary, down to earth, heart warming court room drama, yet every element of it is perfectly flavored so the result is unexpectedly extraordinary. There is nothing flashy in it or over the top, every performance brings its own subtle charm and they melt together beautifully. Even though the characters are based on stereotypes, they are believable and nuanced enough to make you feel the person inside that box.
I've never been a fan of Matt Damon, and yet he won me over with this one, which as I learned was his first big movie - maybe this juxtaposition of the character's greenness and eagerness in his new job and his own gave this performance an authenticity I haven't seen in him before. I also especially appreciated Danny De Vito's character and delivery, the short yet outstanding role of Roy Schneider as the cold-blooded CEO and the comical moments that seemed to be aligned with the pulse of the heroes.
It's not an intellectually challenging movie, you won't be on the edge of your seat (maybe once?) and it doesn't leave you in tears either. However, there are a few hearty laughs in it and this intense feel-good sense you get from seeing people be ordinarily extraordinary. I enjoyed it.
I've never been a fan of Matt Damon, and yet he won me over with this one, which as I learned was his first big movie - maybe this juxtaposition of the character's greenness and eagerness in his new job and his own gave this performance an authenticity I haven't seen in him before. I also especially appreciated Danny De Vito's character and delivery, the short yet outstanding role of Roy Schneider as the cold-blooded CEO and the comical moments that seemed to be aligned with the pulse of the heroes.
It's not an intellectually challenging movie, you won't be on the edge of your seat (maybe once?) and it doesn't leave you in tears either. However, there are a few hearty laughs in it and this intense feel-good sense you get from seeing people be ordinarily extraordinary. I enjoyed it.