Booyahjeff
Joined Nov 2001
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Reviews9
Booyahjeff's rating
This So-Called Disaster basically documents the pre-production of Sam Shepard's 2000 play, `The Late Henry Moss', from about the third week of rehearsals to opening night. The movie is overall very engaging in its presentation of the featured actors involved, and because the visual style makes the viewer feel as though they were in the audience during the play's preparations.
Because `Henry Moss' is partially autobiographical, this movie provides some scenes of Shepard providing anecdotes about growing up with his father. I liked these scenes very much, because Sam Shepard's relationship with his father did was not typical of some relationships that alcoholic fathers had with their sons. There is a sense that Shepard accepted the way in which his father acted while drunk, and did not seem to have too much of a problem maintaining a relationship with him.
But the parts of Disaster that I particularly liked were everything involving the rehearsals of the play. It is very interesting to see the contrasting styles of preparation seen in the different actors, such as Nick Nolte, Sean Penn, Cheech Marin, Woody Harrelson, and John Gammon. It was amazing to see that these actors were able to nail their performances every time they rehearsed their lines.
Along with their preparations, I was able to see these people in a much different light than I ever had before. In this movie, I wasn't seeing Sean Penn, bad boy actor, or Nick Nolte the oddball (though he does have his moments). The actors in the play are presented in this movie as people who are actors, not Hollywood movie stars.
Michael Almereyda does the viewer a favor by keeping the camera pretty much stationary throughout the picture. Early on, I thought I had to prepare myself for some sort of home video visual style, which is very amateurish in that it shakes all over the place and never settles down. But thankfully, the camera allows the audience to see this movie as though they were in the theater, watching people like Penn, Nolte, and others get ready for their performances.
Because `Henry Moss' is partially autobiographical, this movie provides some scenes of Shepard providing anecdotes about growing up with his father. I liked these scenes very much, because Sam Shepard's relationship with his father did was not typical of some relationships that alcoholic fathers had with their sons. There is a sense that Shepard accepted the way in which his father acted while drunk, and did not seem to have too much of a problem maintaining a relationship with him.
But the parts of Disaster that I particularly liked were everything involving the rehearsals of the play. It is very interesting to see the contrasting styles of preparation seen in the different actors, such as Nick Nolte, Sean Penn, Cheech Marin, Woody Harrelson, and John Gammon. It was amazing to see that these actors were able to nail their performances every time they rehearsed their lines.
Along with their preparations, I was able to see these people in a much different light than I ever had before. In this movie, I wasn't seeing Sean Penn, bad boy actor, or Nick Nolte the oddball (though he does have his moments). The actors in the play are presented in this movie as people who are actors, not Hollywood movie stars.
Michael Almereyda does the viewer a favor by keeping the camera pretty much stationary throughout the picture. Early on, I thought I had to prepare myself for some sort of home video visual style, which is very amateurish in that it shakes all over the place and never settles down. But thankfully, the camera allows the audience to see this movie as though they were in the theater, watching people like Penn, Nolte, and others get ready for their performances.
To be absolutely honest, I don't know about this movie. I just don't know. I don't know if it's supposed to be a comedy, I don't know if it's supposed to be a heist movie, and I don't know if it's supposed to be a romantic comedy. The one thing I do know about this movie is that it was not what I thought it was going to be; good.
Usually in a heist/caper/money stealing movie there is a plot that is set up, sometimes it's even done well. Apparently they forgot to do this for 'The Big Bounce', because as I sat in the nearly packed (for some reason) theater, I wondered often as to what the big score is going to be. I.e., what are they after? Who's getting ripped off? Who's doing the planning? If the movie viewer wants to be sure, the trailer does a much better job than anything in the movie does. Because of all this, the final scenes, which involve the actual 'heist', are more than anti-climactic, considering there's no real way of knowing what's happening.
Then there is the comedy, or...lack thereof. Amusing moments are few and far between in The Big Bounce. Sure, there are a few gags that work, and Owen Wilson is the kind of actor that naturally causes a snicker or two because of his delivery. But other than that, many moments are just plain stale. The timing in this movie is horrible; secondary characters have pretty bad delivery, and there are way too many pauses for audience laughter, which is unfortunate, because when a joke doesn't work in a movie theater....yikes, know what I mean?
The one saving grace this movie has going for it is Owen Wilson and Sara Foster. Foster, as the female lead, does well enough in the fact that she doesn't have to do much other than look good. And Owen Wilson is just...Owen Wilson. All the other actors either sleep-walk through their parts, or just don't care.
Yes, the movie was bad. About 2/3 into the movie, I looked over at a buddy of mine and said "What's going on with this movie?" Bad (or no) plot, lousy characters, no climactic moments, horrid resolution, but nice scenery. The only reason you should go to see this movie is if someone buys you a ticket in advance.
Well...on second thought...maybe not
Usually in a heist/caper/money stealing movie there is a plot that is set up, sometimes it's even done well. Apparently they forgot to do this for 'The Big Bounce', because as I sat in the nearly packed (for some reason) theater, I wondered often as to what the big score is going to be. I.e., what are they after? Who's getting ripped off? Who's doing the planning? If the movie viewer wants to be sure, the trailer does a much better job than anything in the movie does. Because of all this, the final scenes, which involve the actual 'heist', are more than anti-climactic, considering there's no real way of knowing what's happening.
Then there is the comedy, or...lack thereof. Amusing moments are few and far between in The Big Bounce. Sure, there are a few gags that work, and Owen Wilson is the kind of actor that naturally causes a snicker or two because of his delivery. But other than that, many moments are just plain stale. The timing in this movie is horrible; secondary characters have pretty bad delivery, and there are way too many pauses for audience laughter, which is unfortunate, because when a joke doesn't work in a movie theater....yikes, know what I mean?
The one saving grace this movie has going for it is Owen Wilson and Sara Foster. Foster, as the female lead, does well enough in the fact that she doesn't have to do much other than look good. And Owen Wilson is just...Owen Wilson. All the other actors either sleep-walk through their parts, or just don't care.
Yes, the movie was bad. About 2/3 into the movie, I looked over at a buddy of mine and said "What's going on with this movie?" Bad (or no) plot, lousy characters, no climactic moments, horrid resolution, but nice scenery. The only reason you should go to see this movie is if someone buys you a ticket in advance.
Well...on second thought...maybe not