geekerr
The paucity of present day Hollywood.All it has is a special effects.Trying to imitate a movie made in the 1940s and that is all you will get.Embarrassing No ability to write.The movie equivalent of Threes Company Pure bimbo stuff.The actors in it won't be putting this on their resume Makes Hollywood look like it is all promotion and no substanceit could be viewed as a comedy if you have time to waste.Just a terrible self indulgent workIncredible that it got made.
John Johnson
The film starts out with dramatic music on the ruins of post-war Berlin. Jake Geismar (George Clooney) has just arrived in Berlin. His story quickly gets entwined with Lena (Cate Blanchett), a former lover, and Tully (Tobey Maguire), his driver. Tully works in the black market and has a relationship with Lena, who is now a prostitute. Through Tully, Geismar finds Lena again. Tully is busy trying to get Lena out of Berlin, who herself is busy trying to protect her husband Emil. The occupying powers are seeking Emil, as he was an officer in the military with important information. In part due to this, Tully's attempt to get Lena out of Berlin fails and Tully ends up murdered. Geismar discovers this and spends his time trying to ensure Lena's safety and that she, too, can get out of Berlin. He and Lena turn over Emil but are betrayed and Emil is murdered. Geismar is still able to get Lena out of Berlin but learns that she, like many others, was involved in war crimes.I really like the film noir. I like the camera work that plays with light and shadows. I also enjoyed the detective/crime story so common in the genre. This is pretty simple wording, but it's really easy to get into the story and excitement in this type of film-making. It was pointed out that the language was somewhat vulgar, and that there was too much sex for a REAL film noir. I find these sorts of things perhaps a little cheap due to their lack of authenticity, but Clooney, Maguire, and Blanchett really pulled the thing together; it was nice to see modern actors in an older style of film. I also throughly enjoyed the setting in post-war Berlin. This adds a good deal of excitement. I recommend this film, though I'm sure fans of quality cinema will appreciate more than most.
Armand
more than a thriller, a form of homage to a lost age of cinema. the deep traces of 1940 years, the shadow of Casablanca, the acting in precise circles.a movie from a lost world who use inspired cast but without significant effect. error of script. or only error of director expectations. so, not a bad movie. but far to be remarkable. a film who has basic virtue to remember another films atmosphere but who can not give nothing real new. the slow story, the forced tension, the desire to be a realistic film noir are interesting ambitions but the desire to do everything at high level is the fundamental sin. a film for the fans of actors. and for the fans of film noir references. in rest, a slice of war with too many ambitions.
heysailor06
Spoiler warningI am very bothered by this film. I just saw the movie and they completed gutted the book. Took out the less pleasant aspects of the book so that the movie would be more like Casablanca. Instead of what it really was. A story about a murder cover up and a conspiracy to white wash Nazi scientists.' In the book no one cares about Tully's death and in fact the government does it sweep it under the rung. Emil is a S.S Nazi member who tries to kill jack over the notes about the camp. Lena turning other Jewish people to the Gestapo is treated to casually. In the book the women who did that get's tried as a war criminal. This movies changes major plot points to make it more neat and tidy. They took a great book and turned it in to pretentious Oscar bait. And it's terrible.
AD
