Reviews

A thoughtful, beautiful film - fine acting, an excellent script, beautiful camera-work. Interesting to see naysayers complaining "nothing happens" - a great deal happens - but no gratuitous beatdowns, no jazzy editing, no hammy scene stealing - and no 'nostalgia' or playing for camp associations II loved American Hustle, but did notice how I had some difficulty seeing the characters behind the costumes and wigs). Oscar Isaac is on screen virtually the entire film, and you can't take your eyes off him - but he is quiet, watchful, smart. Jessica Chastain's role is less visible, but her character hovers over the film - her enmeshment with her husband. Chastain's standout line (from memory): "You don't want to see what happens if I have to get involved." Interestingly, the conclusion at first felt like a letdown. But with a few minutes reflection, an unspoken element, based on clear signals earlier in the film, makes for a spectacular denouement: SPOILER: Where did the money Chastain 'skimmed' really come from? What was her background? What does that mean for Isaac's attempts to stay out of the mud? The signals click into place. Also: The title refers to the reallife events occurring in the city that years, quietly simmering away onradio (remember radio?) and TV broadcasts. The violence in the film was occasional, unexpected - and inevitable.

The etire film had a stately feeling. We saw an entire distany panorama unfold that had unexpected resonance with events today. Theentire film is about oil and power.

An interesting exercise - saw this via Netflix at the recommendation of a friend. Wasn't disappointed, but mildly frustrated - a LOT of topics, some thoughtfully explored, a few touched upon & quickly dropped, with some outstanding work by skilled actors, and mostly tight, efficient direction.

The suburban setting was letter perfect for the premise: two couples meet before a Halloween party, drink some "magic" blue wine, and get down to exploring truths. Their common ground initially is their focus on their children, whom we never see; misperceptions & frustrated hopes for their kids are uncovered and confronted. We also get believable, if somewhat rushed, glances at 9/11, atheism, suburban hypocrisy, career and money anxieties, etc - modern life.

All four actors were excellent. Preston & White were the more vividly written couple; Preston had several chances to do her patented 'zany' characterization (see "The Good Wife"), and White was quite believable as an ambitious & somewhat oblivious MD. Interestingly, in a discussion of 9/11, bias d/t his ethnicity was only glancingly touched upon, an opportunity for deeper exploration unexplored. Rather, real and imagined sexual peccadilloes of both are mined.

Raffo & Hutchison are less exotic, but the eventual history of their relationship is more heartfelt; they also seem to have a visible sexual chemistry not evident in the other couple. Raffo is touching in a somewhat underwritten role as a restless and disappointed mate to a man who, vaguely, is no longer as ... "exciting" as when they were married. Hutchison quite convincingly portrays a charming, somewhat goofy suburban dad who reveals unexpected depths; his reaction when he and Raffo discuss losing a child is immensely moving, and that discussion give the film a center it needs. Both he and Raffo deserve wider exposure.

Less successful were the extraneous 'hooks' evidently meant to power the screenplay. The blue wine of truth was unnecessary - high-proof vodka would have done as well; 'roofies' (rohypnol) as an 'antidote' was just silly. Being an atheist or agnostic is not really so dumbfounding, right? The Halloween costumes were interesting, but extraneous; the trope of "two couples settling in for an evening of drinking and verbal jousting" is tried & true for a reason - it works, & doesn't need a lot of explication.

Overall, an 8 - because I stayed interested until the end, and the acting was excellent.

In a year of out-sized entertainments, ILD was an anomaly - minimal special effects, much silence - music used within the story, rather than an emotion-yanking soundtrack. Beautiful performances, down to the smallest role - the two couples who were guests at the professors apartment - amazing. Minimal pyrotechnics beyond one abortive beating.

But for me - difficult to enter. I remember that scene well, went to college in NYC in the 60's, and the film was immersed in aura I remember - not with nostalgia or sentimentality, but accurately. Kids without money scrambling to make some sort of music career, old Village characters and Times Square types holding out. A cold winter, no money, road trips, overdoses - the beginning of Vietnam, but all Llewyn can focus on is keeping himself warm & fed. The outside world is like the weather - chill, oppressive, dangerous.

I did not understand the timeline of the ending, but that didn't really bother me; probably wasn't meant to be understood. I'm glad I saw it, but I would recommend it cautiously - not an easy ride. Stark Sands singing "Last Thing on my Mind" broke my heart.

Watched this show this season on DVR to see how weird it could get. Answer: very. The ever-increasing focus on 'Rusty' became a downward spiral of nonsense, interspersed w/grimy little torture porn vignettes - often homophobic. Capt Raydor moved from a proficient, interestingly straitlaced senior police officer to a quivering parody of foster motherhood.

'Rusty' continued sulky, impulsive, Vulnerable w/a capital V, flipping his elaborate shag incessantly - and an entire Metropolitan police division devoted most of their working hours to obsessively worrying about that vulnerability. Raydor has a protected witness living in her apartment? She's his new, good mother?? Very, very weird - and unpleasant.

Teenage hustling is an old story in major cities - sad, often tragic, with neglect and survival at odds on a daily basis. Having a 23yo actor portray a 16? 17? yo teen is not believable - call that character a child is just discordant. Making the bewigged killer a victim of the same vicious cycle comes off as sensationalistic homophobia.

A cast of very talented actors have created interesting and believable characters in both this series and and the previous "Closer" - but the quality of the scripts has drastically deteriorated. "Rusty Gets Stalked" has become an occasionally hilarious wincefest - but thank god for DVR, so we can get through this time filler in 20 minutes - if we bother to watch at all.