This is an all time fav, own it, watch it all the time. During a recent replay of the DVD, something occurred to me that has somewhat diminished my view of the female character, Lu (Julie Warner). Early on in the movie, Ben Stone stumbles out of his cabin after dreaming of a beautiful woman bathing in water, and lo - there's a nude Lu surfacing and making 'first contact' with him. After getting to know the town's characters, the viewer learns that 'nobody can poop without everybody knowing what color it is,' or something to that effect. Lu would've known of Ben Stone's arrival in Grady, of where he was staying, and may have planned and had an eye out for when he made his way out of that cabin. It's hard to believe she could've stayed underwater ALL that time, and then surfaced at just the right moment (unless she had an oxygen tank under the surface!) In a later scene when Ben 'walks, runs' to her home late at night, the viewer learns there must be some distance between the two homes. Did Lu swim over to Ben's that morning, or drive specifically to the area just to emerge, nude, in his presence? That sorta spoils it for me now, but Doc Hollywood is still a good, clean and romantic view of a small-town romance.
Reviews
2 Reviews
The Thomas Crown Affair
(1999)
Emotional Chess . . . updated
26 August 2007
Firstly, it's not a cookie-cutter remake of the original staring Mr. McQueen and Ms. Dunaway - so no comparison required.
You might say Brosnan was typecast by Bond, and the idea of a suave player getting one over on yet another woman might be the obvious outcome, but not this time! Instead we're treated to a sophisticated game of cops and robbers, played out in this stylish and seductive entertainment. Mr. Brosnan (Thomas) is at the top of his game and may be involved in something illegal. Ms. Russo (Catherine) is called in to investigate, claiming an office and sharing confidences with the local police department looking for clues. Catherine epitomises sophistication with hair, makeup and fashions styled to perfection. She's an understatement of success; a woman playing a man's game, bounty-hunting life and sex on her own terms and 'enjoying the chase'.
Once Catherine is on the trail of Thomas Crown you'll join her in a hedonistic game of one-upmanship. She's done this kind of work before and must stay on her toes if she's going to implicate the wealthy Thomas Crown. The local cops and cultured community believe Mr. Crown to be beyond reproach; an untouchable pillar of wealth and good taste.
These two characters exist in their luxurious world through strange circumstance and have made it their own through hard work and some bluffing. The movie provides glimpses into their lifestyles, and at the same time, keeps them both just outside what you'd expect from a wealthy businessman and a woman working for an insurance company.
Supporting character Mr. Leary makes a cynical, yet caring detective attempting to save face by nabbing Thomas Crown - however it's quite obvious in a city the size of New York that a bored millionaire looking for thrills by staging a theft is not his priority. Mr. Leary is guilty of a bit of cussing and jaded police behaviour, but ya 'gotta hope he's still on the force.
The story races from one clue to the next, and we glimpse a world where time means nothing, and money is just, well, not an issue. The film really sets the tone for the lush life with ultra-posh, elegant sets, millionaire-hobbies and exotic locations. The soundtrack is perfect, giving the entire movie an upmarket, worldly feel that befits a modern romance.
This is really a love story for anyone who imagines being whisked away from the mundane into places that you've only read or heard about in glossy magazines. It's a film for any person out there who'd like to have the freedom to do what they want and damn the consequences. Well, either that or have enough money to do anything, then disappear.
There is some hot on-screen chemistry between Thomas and Catherine, making the love scenes, coupled with the sexy music and breathtaking backgrounds, erotic. They have a healthy appetite for each other so the love scenes in his apartment and 'island retreat' are the 'stuff that dreams are made of.'
Yes, there are little snafus, such as a painting being folded in a manner that would permanently ruin it, and the usual gaffes that serious film-goers will pick over - but heck, it's just a movie and a love story - let yourself go and imagine you're a woman who's just crashed a black tie event in a dress making every man in the room salivate, or that you're the man she's heading for on the dance floor - then have fun with it . . .
In the end, for all their cunning, Thomas and Catherine must decide if they can trust each other, just like most men and women must do in any love story. What you may find hard to decide though, is who to root for, and who really wins the game of cat and mouse at the end of this movie.
You might say Brosnan was typecast by Bond, and the idea of a suave player getting one over on yet another woman might be the obvious outcome, but not this time! Instead we're treated to a sophisticated game of cops and robbers, played out in this stylish and seductive entertainment. Mr. Brosnan (Thomas) is at the top of his game and may be involved in something illegal. Ms. Russo (Catherine) is called in to investigate, claiming an office and sharing confidences with the local police department looking for clues. Catherine epitomises sophistication with hair, makeup and fashions styled to perfection. She's an understatement of success; a woman playing a man's game, bounty-hunting life and sex on her own terms and 'enjoying the chase'.
Once Catherine is on the trail of Thomas Crown you'll join her in a hedonistic game of one-upmanship. She's done this kind of work before and must stay on her toes if she's going to implicate the wealthy Thomas Crown. The local cops and cultured community believe Mr. Crown to be beyond reproach; an untouchable pillar of wealth and good taste.
These two characters exist in their luxurious world through strange circumstance and have made it their own through hard work and some bluffing. The movie provides glimpses into their lifestyles, and at the same time, keeps them both just outside what you'd expect from a wealthy businessman and a woman working for an insurance company.
Supporting character Mr. Leary makes a cynical, yet caring detective attempting to save face by nabbing Thomas Crown - however it's quite obvious in a city the size of New York that a bored millionaire looking for thrills by staging a theft is not his priority. Mr. Leary is guilty of a bit of cussing and jaded police behaviour, but ya 'gotta hope he's still on the force.
The story races from one clue to the next, and we glimpse a world where time means nothing, and money is just, well, not an issue. The film really sets the tone for the lush life with ultra-posh, elegant sets, millionaire-hobbies and exotic locations. The soundtrack is perfect, giving the entire movie an upmarket, worldly feel that befits a modern romance.
This is really a love story for anyone who imagines being whisked away from the mundane into places that you've only read or heard about in glossy magazines. It's a film for any person out there who'd like to have the freedom to do what they want and damn the consequences. Well, either that or have enough money to do anything, then disappear.
There is some hot on-screen chemistry between Thomas and Catherine, making the love scenes, coupled with the sexy music and breathtaking backgrounds, erotic. They have a healthy appetite for each other so the love scenes in his apartment and 'island retreat' are the 'stuff that dreams are made of.'
Yes, there are little snafus, such as a painting being folded in a manner that would permanently ruin it, and the usual gaffes that serious film-goers will pick over - but heck, it's just a movie and a love story - let yourself go and imagine you're a woman who's just crashed a black tie event in a dress making every man in the room salivate, or that you're the man she's heading for on the dance floor - then have fun with it . . .
In the end, for all their cunning, Thomas and Catherine must decide if they can trust each other, just like most men and women must do in any love story. What you may find hard to decide though, is who to root for, and who really wins the game of cat and mouse at the end of this movie.
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