For the longest time into the movie I couldn't figure out why the story seemed so familiar, knowing I'd never seen it before. Then it struck me that I must have read the novel by Michael Chabon on which it's based. Very weird, because I don't recall reading that particular book either. I could quite possibly have been a character in this film.
Well I like quirky stuff and this one had a lot of it. It probably could have been a Coen Brothers movie without much problem. The murdered dog situation puts it a bit over the top; placing it in James Leer's bed at his grandparents' house was probably good provocation for a heart attack if the writers had gone in that direction but there was already a lot going on. I liked all the players in this one, with special kudos to Robert Downey Jr. for reminding me why I'm conflicted about the actor. He just comes across so smarmy and arrogant that I tend to ascribe that to his off screen behavior without really knowing why. Might have something to do with his drug related problems and arrests back in the late Nineties. But the guy is talented, no doubt about it. Antonia Slovak (Michael Cavadias) was quite the trip too; the story could have used a bit more of the character.
This won't be everyone's cup of tea but if you like dark comedy and stories about conflicted characters, there's enough here to maintain your focus. Personally, I can't imagine anyone ever reading a twenty six hundred plus page novel like the one Grady Tripp (Michael Douglas) was working on. Stephen King would be envious. Most unconventional too were the thematic songs by Bob Dylan. Imagine a tune sung by Dylan that doesn't sound like Dylan.
Well I like quirky stuff and this one had a lot of it. It probably could have been a Coen Brothers movie without much problem. The murdered dog situation puts it a bit over the top; placing it in James Leer's bed at his grandparents' house was probably good provocation for a heart attack if the writers had gone in that direction but there was already a lot going on. I liked all the players in this one, with special kudos to Robert Downey Jr. for reminding me why I'm conflicted about the actor. He just comes across so smarmy and arrogant that I tend to ascribe that to his off screen behavior without really knowing why. Might have something to do with his drug related problems and arrests back in the late Nineties. But the guy is talented, no doubt about it. Antonia Slovak (Michael Cavadias) was quite the trip too; the story could have used a bit more of the character.
This won't be everyone's cup of tea but if you like dark comedy and stories about conflicted characters, there's enough here to maintain your focus. Personally, I can't imagine anyone ever reading a twenty six hundred plus page novel like the one Grady Tripp (Michael Douglas) was working on. Stephen King would be envious. Most unconventional too were the thematic songs by Bob Dylan. Imagine a tune sung by Dylan that doesn't sound like Dylan.