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Reviews
Gangster No. 1 (2000)
Incredible Bettany in a film with a big flaw
I have enormous problems rating this film due to two portrayals of the central character. One should know that the main, if not only reason McDowell was hired, was to sell the movie, not trusting that the then relatively unknown Paul Bettany would be enough of an audience magnet.
The central protagonist doesn't have a name, so the Sixties version is only listed as "Young Gangster". Played magnificently by Paul Bettany, this character starts out as a promising young criminal, being chosen by the local gangster king (portrayed by a great David Thewlis), turning opportunist, turning into a rarely speaking, ruthless, psychotic monster, his perverse brutality bordering on surreal horror. Bettany plays incredible nuances. Is Young Gangster just overly impressed by his boss? Does he have a crush on him? Is he raping his victims, or does the act of killing itself give him sexual pleasure? It remains open, and this adds to the increasingly inhuman impression his character with the piercing, yet soulless blue eyes is giving.
What also remains open, is when this psycho monster turned into a constantly babbling, self-pitying old Cockney geezer (who obviously shrunk several inches while aging). This version of Gangster is played by Malcolm McDowell, who is mostly reminiscing his Alex from A Clockwork Orange, which simply doesn't fit and, for my taste, sticks out like a sore thumb in a still fantastic movie with a completely different kind of storytelling.
That's why I tend to see both as different characters to not ruin this otherwise brilliant movie for myself. If you can do the same, or are ok with it, then Gangster No 1 is absolutely recommended as an unironic gangster movie with an insanely marvelous performance by Paul Bettany.
Uncle Frank (2020)
Perfection in every aspect
The way I came to watch this movie is a rather strange one. I was surprised to see how well that robot in the MCU can do slapstick comedy. Yes, Paul Bettany caught my attention in WandaVision, and I wanted to explore more. After watching the usual suspects (wait, that was him as well in movie XY?) I came to a movie I may not have watched otherwise. I expected a rather demanding, mildly entertaining story, but at least no flying and fighting (no, I'm not a fan of the super hero genre) : Uncle Frank.
What I got was 90 minutes of absolute brilliance. The cast was 100% spot on (even Steve Zahn, which I hadn't expected), shy Beth, lovable Wally, through and through Southern Aunt Butch ... But Paul Bettany ... For Heaven's sake, Paul! Bettany! How this man isn't bathing in Oscars is beyond me. And how the Academy could've ignored this gem of a movie is a crying shame.
I liked that the movie was clearly set in the 70s without everything crying "this is the Seeeeventiiieees!". No distraction from the story itself. The plot as such maybe isn't the most original one, but the execution is miles above average. Even for me as a European female who was a little child during the Seventies it's so relatable - the fear and pain Frank is living through, Beth's struggle (which is a tale of blooming feminism, too, in the best way), Wally's background of being a gay Muslim, keeping the secret from the family ... I was laughing about some of the dialogues, Wally's warm-hearted jokes - I was crying about Frank's rejection, and sobbing about his breakdown.
100% recommended for everyone looking for intelligent story-telling with an actor who has been in so many productions, yet is still mostly under the radar.
Heat Vision and Jack (1999)
Hilarity is power - for real
Do you love the fake trailers before Tropic Thunder as much as I do? Then this is your thing.
"Heat Vision and Jack" is a parody on shows like Knight Rider, The 6,000,000 $ Man or the old Doctor Who episodes, especially when it comes to the special effects. Jack Austin (Jack Black) is a renegade astronaut who gained his super powers of superhuman knowledge when his brain was baked as his rocket ship came too close to the sun; therefore he is now hunted by the evil NASA, personified by Ron Silver as himself. Jack's only friend is his motorbike Heat Vision (voiced by Owen Wilson), who once was his room mate Doug, who was once merged with his motorbike by a laser beam weapon by Ron Silver.
Why the hell does Jack call the motorbike not Doug, but Heat Vision? Where did Ron Silver get his superpowers? It's this brazen impudence to refuse giving answers that makes this show so priceless. The special effects are an unbounded cheek for the late Nineties, but, like the "vintage" looks and the cheap lighting choices, it adds to the whole thing. The same goes for dialogue lines like "The human brain isn't unlike cookie dough", "Is that blood? - "The blood of tomatoes!" or "Quiet! I can't see the road when you talk!".
This and the delicious overacting of all involved. At first chubby Jack Black seems like an odd choice for a renegade hero, lonely and melancholic, the ladies fall for. Actually he's the perfect choice, as he nails the heroic looks and poses to the point. Every inch of him says, look at me, I'm a victim of fate, I'm lonely and on the run, but dang, I'm such a bad ass hero. Plus him reacting to pain like the alien laser beams is so Shatner-esque I cried with laughter.
Just like the trailers from Tropic Thunder, I'm not sure "Heat Vision and Jack" would've worked as a full thing, a TV show in this case. Since it says "episode 14" in the credits, I suspect it might have been devised as a one-off by the makers, esp. Ben Stiller who produced and directed it. But like those trailers, this short left me craving for more. It's working on a similar genius level. May only work for a special kind of humour, but if you love Tropic Thunder or Tenacious D, you're in for a huge huge treat.