setukamal's reviews

I saw this gem of a film a few months ago and it has lived with me ever since. There are lots of great things to talk about but I will only mention a few. I liked the striking images of the sea and the shore and the manner in which they are imbued with great meaning. The sea - which represents adventure, sensuality, fluidity, freedom and sex - is a constant motif throughout the film and is a joy to look at. I also liked the structure - reminiscent of Hemingway's short stories - where characters from one story seem to reappear in others.

But though connected through theme and also through the plot, the individual films retain a great level of distinctiveness. For instance, the second film remains unresolved at the end and the discussion of the two fellow riders in the third movie only have the effect of heightening that suspense. On the other hand, the third film has the effect of satisfactorily and unexpectedly wrapping up the first film: whereas the girl in the first film was denied the chance to enjoy the sea (and everything it represents), the old woman in the third film takes her revenge by completely inverting tradition. The image of the old woman and those motifs of domesticity being carried away on the sea is unusual but also funny. In putting not only herself but also her whole house on the sea, the old woman has inverted tradition and has the ultimate revenge.

When I first saw the movie I wasnt as struck by it. However, it was only when I saw it the next time that I realised how entertaining it was - far superior to the original. There are several great things about the movie - the cast was excellent, I thought. Pierce Brosnan is not the greatest actor in the world - but he has the look which is great for doing caricatures such as `secretive spy' or `suave business man'. Being a caricature isnt necessarily a bad thing - most of Dickens characterizations were highly caricatural and very entertaining. The best wo things about the movie were the soundtrack (which was great) and the plot (the twist with the painting at the end was completely unexpected). But what also made it great was the direction - you can tell that the director is enjoying Crown's plot as much as the man is himself. The last sequence of how Thomas Crown replaces the painting shows a complete enjoyment of its mechanics. the physicality of the moevments and even the presence of the characters from the paintings is relished. It was also a treat to see how rich people live - and not just rich people, but those with good taste.