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BaftaBaby 
"Always entranced by cinema."
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 Posted - 11/26/2012 : 17:25:02
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It's got a bit of history, this film. And, stylish though it is, and amusing though it also is - I'm not entirely convinced ...
1. why it needed a remake
2. whether it gained anything by it, aside from b.o.
The original 1966 crime caper/rom-com, well-helmed by Ronald Neame, featured Michael Caine as Harry Dean, a smooth-talking ambitious con-person whose itchy fingers twitch at the challenge of filching a priceless bust of the now-dead 1st wife of Shahbander, reputedly the world's richest man. [Herbert Lom] Caine plans to do this with the assistance of a Eurasian "taxi dancer" called Nicole Chang [aka Shirley Maclaine]. And, no, a taxi dance ain't someone who dances in taxis.
When a remake was mooted for a 2009 release, Colin Firth was inked for the Caine role, with Jennifer Aniston as his flexible friend, and Ben Kingsley in the Lom part.
Flash forward to the actual re-make. Firth's still charming his way to untold riches, but his support now comes from Cameron Diaz - whose "flexibility" is attributed to her rodeo roping skills, and Alan Rickman revelling in his money-is-no-object life style.
So, some names are the same/ some have been changed, and there have been a few - not many - tweaks to the tale. The bust's now becomes an elusive Monet landscape. Is it real? Is it available? Why has it been discovered hanging on the wall of the cowgirl's Texas caravan?
And, vitally, can Colin obtain it for Alan to make up a pair. For he already owns the scene painted at dawn. The one in Texas is the dusk-time version.
Solid & often very good at the comic set-up and pay-off, director Michael Hoffman brings the Coen Brothers' screenplay to life. He knows how to keep the actors focused and achieves a genuine team effort from leads and supports.
But - I dunno. It skips under the line at 89 minutes. So why does it feel longer? My guess is that - whether or not you've ever seen the 1966 version - nearly everything's predictable. Very rarely are any of the plot pieces a surprise.
But, yes, I did enjoy it. It's particularly delightful to see really funny [and understated] performances from a bevy of talented comedy stalwarts.
One thing it did re-affirm for me, though - every time I see him do comedy, Colin Firth further establishes himself as the Cary Grant de nos jours. In fact - the more I see CF, the more convinced I am that he's even better than Grant. What? You disagree?!! Choose yer weapons and meet me outside!
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ChocolateLady 
"500 Chocolate Delights"
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Posted - 05/02/2013 : 06:51:06
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In another thread...
quote:
Originally posted by ChocolateLady
Maybe its just me, or could it be that the Coen Brothers have actually lost their touch? The thing is, I'll watch just about anything with their names on it. All the more so, if there's the added value of having Colin Firth to drool over in the process. But this is far from your typical Coen Brothers film.
Despite some very funny moments, a fun story and a good twist in the end, there seems to be little of the original, puzzling or fascinating fingerprint that Coen Brothers films usually have. Moreover, Cameron Diaz's terribly fake-sounding southern accent and over-the-top performance will give viewers a sour aftertaste, along with a hunger to return to more intelligent comic wit.
But if you don't care that lots of the humor is lowbrow, and you're in the mood to get a couple of glimpses at Alan Rickman's bare behind, go for it! But I can't give this more than 3.5 stars out of 5.
To which, Bafta sent me over to this thread with this:
quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
and for the original thread - go here
... the bros didn't actually direct ...
I do believe that their not being the directors was probably the downfall of this film. If they had directed it, they might have chosen someone else for Diaz's part, and kept her from overdoing it. I'm also sure that many of the jokes and bits that didn't go down too well, might have been improved by a Coen director knowing how to tone it down.
But I have to agree with Bafta about Firth. He pulls off every bit he's given to perfection, even when he's tearing his trousers off while climbing on a window ledge.
By the way, the two tiny bits that Cloris Leachman does are hysterical and she stole both of those scenes. No surprises there, especially since we always knew there is no such thing as a small part... |
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Gambit
