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Reviews
The Wait (2013)
'The Wait' – Haunting, Elliptical Drama
I found this film to be a very compelling work on the process of mourning. Seeing Blash's film 'Lying' after 'The Wait' enriched my understanding of it: 'The Wait' continues his exploration of dramatic themes from 'Lying', in particular about interpersonal faith and trust. Jena Malone's performance is particularly striking – the subtle crumbling of her rationality as she allows herself to fall in love – there is something unbelievable, yet very true about her manic, moment to moment emotional changes. Sure, it's not a perfect film, but it rewards the patience and attention given to it.
9/10
Good Will Hunting (1997)
A Powerful Story with an Uplifting Message
I can't stress enough how much this film means to me. Since my youth, I was always quite taken with Boston – Cambridge in particular. As a portrait of the academic culture's conflict with the working class culture, it can't be stressed enough that though there is something of a fairy tale quality to this, it captures the grit-teeth of the Boston working class quite convincingly.
The story of the evolving relationship between Will (Damon) and Dr. Sean Maguire (Williams) is fraught with difficulty, but offers an honest reflection of the sobering power of friendship in the face of self-defeat brought on by child abuse. I think always in particular of this moment where Maguire speaks to Will and gives him the advice – that it's not his fault. We must remember this, through all our own traumas and abuses.
Gone Girl (2014)
Gone Fincher...
David Fincher – *sigh*. What to do? I was taken with Fight Club, though I now suspect that was more Cronenweth's visual style (three condoms floating in the toilet bowl, Ed Norton's immortal self-abuse, etc – all rendered in sterile whites and tonsured browns). Zodiac confused the hell out of me – now, I admit, many Fincher fanatics will defend Zodiac 'til they're blue in the face – but it wasn't my style. I considered 'The Social Network' a return to form – yes, perhaps not the cerebral psycho-thriller that 'Fight Club' was, but certainly an examination of a parallel pathology.
Many have been debating 'Gone Girl' on the grounds of misogyny, questioning whether it is a feminist film or not. Though I have not read Gillian Flynn's eponymous novel, I have read secondary material on it that has convinced me that her opaque and sinister Amy has a much more complex motivation behind her than Fincher gives her credit for. And indeed, this was what was missing for me most in this film – where is Amy's third act? She barrels out of the gate with her 'Cool Girl' speech, the first time we see her on screen, but then by the end she's just cold knives and blood spattered bedsheets. Ben Affleck's salt of the earth Nick is an unconvincing dolt, and I find it hard to sympathize with his character whatsoever. Overall, I'm interested – but I wish that Fincher had given me a bit more OOMPH to these characters. Something a little more to love, but maybe that's the cynical point.