Leaves of Grass

I enjoyed "Leaves of Grass" for awhile, until writer/director Tim Blake Nelson, who also has a supporting role in the film as a hillbilly pothead, tired me out with his insistence on pushing the film into directions it just didn't make sense for it to go.

Edward Norton is immensely enjoyable as a pair of twin brothers, one an intellectual from the city, the other a country bumpkin with a major marijuana operation, who are reunited after the country brother fakes his death to persuade the other to visit home (a home he has shunned) and then drags him unwillingly into a shady scheme involving some other drug dealers once he gets him down there. There was plenty of interesting potential to be had in the story of these two very different brothers who maybe aren't quite as different as they think they are, but Nelson insists on throwing in a bunch of other distracting plot strands that make what should have been a low-key comedy something schizophrenic and exasperating. The film is only 105 minutes long, yet we have a storyline involving the brothers' mom (played by Susan Sarandon) and the city brother's estrangement from her; a love interest for the city brother (Keri Russell) who recites Walt Whitman poetry while filleting a catfish; the whole drug war storyline that gets queasily violent; and the dumbest storyline of all, involving an orthodontist in debt who hatches a half-assed blackmail scheme. I think Nelson is going for black comedy with much of his film, but he doesn't succeed; the abrupt changes in tone are jarring, and one of the violent scenes at the end involving the orthodontist character is downright tacky.

This movie is a prime example of what happens when a lot of talent is assembled and then squandered by a bad screenplay and unsure direction.

Grade: C

I thought this was just another comedy, but decided to watch it regardless, as Edward Norton usually makes good movies. And this was no exception. This movie was really, really cool. It had a good combination of comedy, drama and action all blended into one mix. And it worked out quite well.

This is not just a movie about weeds and drugs, it is so much more than that. Sure the weeds are a core essential to the movie, but it is also about family values, friendships, embracing your heritage, and coming to terms with your past.

The cast was phenomenal, especially Edward Norton, who did a superb job in both his roles. And the supporting cast was really good as well. Some famous names in the bunch, and everyone delivered good performances.

"Leaves of Grass" never left me bored, as it was compelling from start till end. You should watch this movie, because it is somewhat of a gem in a vast market of endless movies.

Highly recommendable.

I really enjoyed this film and think that it will only get better with multiple viewings. The story is not as some reviewers stated dull and boring(if you expect a typical stoner film maybe you would find it slow & unfunny) the film moves at a sedate pace but never feels like it drags, the humour is often gentle or subtle. Ed Norton delivers a stunning performance as the twin brothers, within minutes of watching you forget they're played by one person(this is helped by the fact that there are no scenes that look fake or CGI'd)

The film uses philosophy quotes a lot to explain character motives or personalities and it could have seemed contrived but the director/writer has made it such an integral part of the film that without the quotes and passages the film would be hollow and not have the depth or be as touching and thought provoking as it is.

If you get a chance to see this film, do so, you won't be disappointed(but go into it with an open mind and don't expect slap stick fart gags)

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer ... but never forget the closest thing of all: Family. Although it seems quite distant (beginning) it might be actually the closest (especially if you consider the mind set). But this movie is not about interpreting things or about good or bad.

And while Ed Norton (1) tries to make sense of things, Ed Norton (2) also is very free and does everything he wants to do (either you read the summary and know what I'm about or you are going to have to watch the movie to understand). Great actors in a very twisted little story, that has not easy answers or solutions. Which might be satisfying or not. Depending on your view of things. I liked that it dared to go the direction it took and that it switched gears between comedy and violence (though it didn't feel right mood-wise for the movie).

Ed Norton is great as always, playing two diametrically opposite but highly intelligent identical twins. One brother, Bill, is a professor of classical philosophy who has worked hard to eradicate his Oklahoma accent and fit into the world of east coast academia. The other, Brady, stills lives in Oklahoma and makes good money selling high-grade marijuana with his red-neck buddies. Brady tricks Bill into returning home for the first time in 2 decades so that Bill can be an alibi while Brady commits a crime in another city. Although Bill is furious and is tempted to fly back home immediately, he ends up staying a few extra days and visits his mother for the first time since childhood. He also meets Janet, played by Keri Russell, a beautiful, intelligent woman who can recites poetry while gutting a catfish. It's an enjoyable movie with quite a few surprise twists along the way.

The strengths of the movie were excellent performances by Norton and Russell, and even director Tim Blake Nelson was great in the role of Bolger. This movie will probably do very well at the box office because of the big name cast plus some great dialogue and humour. I didn't love the ending though, because of too many coincidences and some implausible scenes near the finish. Also, there was an exploration of Christian-Jewish animosity which seemed like an awfully heavy theme to (briefly) deal with here in what is essentially a romantic-comedy. I almost gave this a 6, but the great acting is definitely worth at least an extra point and I bumped it up to a 7 out of 10.