beebeedoo
...was Kathy Bates, "You had it all!" Otherwise, painstakingly sat through this just to see what the letter said. Depressing story of a man on a downward spiral. Highly unlikely there would be no mishaps while sucking gas fumes. Only if you love PSH should you watch this movie.
SnoopyStyle
Wilson Joel (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is quietly suffering after his wife Liza's unexplained suicide. He finds a note from her but can't bring himself to read it. Her mother Mary Ann Bankhead (Kathy Bates) tries to help. After a breakdown at work, he's asked to take time off. He starts to develop an unhealthy addiction to gasoline and joins the world of model plane enthusiasts.Philip Seymour Hoffman does a brilliant job sucking the life out of his character. He is one of the best actors of his times. However the movie is lifeless. It's 90 minutes of waiting for Wilson to open a letter. The movie has no drama and no tension. It's not much of anything other than PSH.
Joseph Sylvers
Great character study, carried by Philip Seymor Hoffman. A man's wife suddenly kills herself, and distraught he in turn begins a self destructive lifestyle of huffing gasoline. In order to explain why he's carrying gas around with him, he lies and says it's for remote controlled air planes. After a gas attendant finally calls him on it, he begins a bender/mental collapse induced mission to find a remote control plane competition. Slow paced, but rewarding, and sincere. Though bleak at times it's one of the most emotionally rich looks at grief, I've ever seen in a film. Or wanted to see, for that matter, because the subject disinterested me from the word go. Anway it's a great thing to be proved wrong sometimes.
octavalvehandle
"Love Liza" is an involving human drama about inescapable grief and guilt. It's also about radio controlled airplanes and the people that love them. That wacky combination alone makes it worth seeing, doesn't it? If you agree, you are like me and are looking for something different. (If not, then go rent some garbage like "Mr. and Mrs Smith.") The first time I watched this film, I was clueless as to which direction it was heading. Would it be a story of redemption? Or would the outcome be bleak?"Love Liza" pulled me into its goofy yet emotionally devastating story of despair through the end. By then, I was hanging on every word. The songs by Jim O'Rourke compliment the film's emotions nicely.I was annoyed that the packaging and promotions for the film suggest that it's comedy of some kind. It's almost sick to call this a comedy! The commentary of the writer and director also surprised me. Apparently, they think the film is a comedy too. Maybe I should listen to Spielberg's commentary on the "Schindler's List" DVD. Perhaps I'll be informed that it was made with laughter as its goal. In any case, Love Liza" is a must-experience film.
AD
