Ferrara and Keitel re team for this frustrating drama
Added 10/27/2008
This review is written by an Abel fan rather than a Madonna fan who I think is unbearable in this movie. She stars as Sarah Jennings an actress who has just landed the lead role in a film called Mother of Mirrors. The film deals with a married couple who have lived a lifestyle that includes heavy drug use and sex with multiple partners. The wife has had a spiritual awakening and no longer wants to partake in these sinful activities. She's hoping that her husband will stop as well and she makes it her mission to save him. The husband doesn't want to hear it and he beats her and taunts her about her new found faith. Directing this film is Eddie Israel (Harvey Keitel). The fact that Keitel is playing a character very similar to director Abel Ferrara is what makes this challenging film worth the effort. The film within a film Mother of Mirrors is similar to Abel's relationship with his ex-wife Nancy. (Nancy even plays Eddie's wife in the movie.) Keitel completely captures Abel complete with the long hair, leather coat, and shades that Ferrara frequently wears. More than a physical transformation Keitel shows how Abel works with his actors: tender when he needs to be and violent and confrontational when the scene isn't working. This film feels a lot like David Lynch's Inland Empire as what is taking place in the fake movie begins to happen to the actors in their everyday lives. Sarah and Burns (James Russo) the actor playing her husband are actually having an off screen relationship that is becoming more violent as the film shoot progresses. Burns is fueled by heavy drug use which holds up shooting and leads to confrontations between him and Eddie. To further complicate things Eddie has even begun sleeping with Sarah. At times trying to figure out what is in the movie and what is actually happening can be confusing but mostly it's just annoying. The acting from Madonna and James Russo doesn't help any since they are both so grating and whine constantly. Keitel is the saving grace of the film turning in a fine performance but he alone can't save things. The film just plunges deeper and deeper into violence and drug use. What makes this film interesting for Abel fans is in watching this fictionalized account of his life and wondering how much of it is true. There is a scene towards the end of the film where Eddie confesses to Nancy that he has been sleeping with Sarah and the two women missed each other by seconds once when Nancy brought the kids to the set to pay him a visit. Eddie digs the knife deeper by admitting that Sarah wasn't the first that there have been numerous others on each film he has worked on. Eddie's timing couldn't be better since the time he chooses to get things off his chest happens to be the morning of Nancy's father's funeral. There is another interesting moment where Eddie ridicules Sarah and tells her that without him she would be nothing. He is doing her a favor by casting her in this movie and he is solely responsible for her career taking off. Madonna's production company Maverick produced this film and no doubt contributed money to the film. Abel probably would have had trouble getting this film made were it not for Madonna's participation. It fails to be as good as Bad Lieutenant even though it takes the same raw approach. Near the end of the film when things are looking hopeless for everyone especially Eddie who is lost in a haze of pills and booze he watches a documentary with director Werner Herzog. Herzog says that even if everyone tells him that the film is a masterpiece he will never be able to justify it to himself and thinks that he should be put in an insane asylum. The ending is certainly a downer as each character meets their dark fate and once Bob Dylan starts singing Blue Moon over the end credits you are glad that this Abel exercise is finally over.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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A sound riposte to Bad Lieutenant
Added 8/4/2008
You know how Amazon ratings work, so you might understand that I under-rated this mess because the over-all mean was way too high. This is a fascinating film in some ways. It's OK. Keitel and Russo have some unusual acting contexts in which to strut their stuff. It was mean to cast Madonna. She's so awful that the film seems to endorse all the misogynistic violence towards her. Keitel has fun playing Abel Ferrara, perhaps partly in revenge for being Catholicly "exploited" in Bad Lieutenant. I remember when I first saw this in the early 90s right after Bad Lieutenant, the intertextual references seemed very graphic. Less so now, but the film, as sub-standard as it is, has to be appreciated as a reaction by both keitel and Ferrara to their impressive collaboration in the aforementioned Zoe Tamerlis-scripted masterpiece. James Russo is excellent with a weakly-scripted part. Whatever happened to Russo? Such a good actor. Nicholas St. John - a frequent collaborator of Ferrara - shows no real talent in this rather enervated Hollywood lampoon. And for that matter, whatever happened to Ferrara?
2 out of 2 people found this helpful.
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Madonna's Finest (Celluloid) Moment
Added 7/10/2008
It has become so commonplace for critics (professional and armchair alike) to trash Madonna's film outings that when she does deliver a solid performance, hardly anyone sees or hears about it. Such is the case with Abel Ferrara's 1993 box office bomb, "Dangerous Game". With a Hollywood backdrop, the film chronicles the agonies and ecstasies (mostly agonies) of a highly volatile and unstable group of people attempting to get a movie completed. As the tensions in the film spill over into the real lives of the actors and director, an atmosphere of escalating insanity develops, turning the movie set into a breeding ground for out-of-control behavior. Although "Dangerous Game" was produced by Madonna's (former) company, Maverick, make no mistake about it, this is an Abel Ferrara film all the way down the line. It is tough, dark, and uncompromising, which is probably one of the reasons why many people seem to hate this film. Ferrara gained earlier fame with the gritty "Bad Lieutenant" and "Ms. 45", so a viewer familiar with those films will already have an idea what to expect from "Dangerous Game".
Harvey Keitel, as always, does a stellar job. Here he plays a New York film director, leaving his family to fly to L.A. and make an extremely disturbing film about infidelity and abuse. Keitel, with his frazzled hair and craggy face, realistically portrays the increasing isolation of his character from his wife and son, eventually sinking into despair and disillusionment. James Russo, as the male lead of the film-within-a-film, excels at playing psychopaths, and here he's walking a fine line as a man descending into a drug and alcohol induced world of paranoid madness. He's a good actor and gives a convincing performance but his constant carrying-on in this film does get wearying. Of course, as stated above, the real revelation comes from Madonna's (pardon the pun) immaculate performance as the film's female lead. She is totally believable in a role that calls for her to exhibit acting chops I never dreamed she had. Too many bad roles in bad movies have, I believe, led most people to stereotype her as a bad actress, but that's really not true. She's done good work in other films ("Evita", Desperately Seeking Susan", "Dick Tracy") but she's won notoriety for "Swept Away", "Who's That Girl?", "The Next Best Thing",and "Shanghai Surprise", and that's what most people think about when they hear the words Madonna and movie used in the same sentence. In "Dangerous Game" she's a gorgeous, frightened, overgrown kid trying to act like a tough grownup, and, in the process, becoming an eternal victim. It's easily Madonna's best acting job, and it's obvious that she had to reach deep within herself to deliver a performance of this range and quality.
The film itself is too relentlessly despairing and depressing. Despite the fine cinematography, there's an underlying ugliness to the film; it's an extremely effective and disturbing film, without ever being enjoyable, and maybe that's what killed it at the box office. Worth a look if you're aware of what you're getting into.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Credit Where Credit is Due
Added 12/29/2007
OK, I am a Madonna music fan, not particularly a Madonna movie fan. This film is a very dark, gritty film that takes a deep looks into the core of the human soul. I must admit it is a difficult film to watch because of its dark style. This is not a film for fans of big Hollywood blockbusters (despite its cast). This is an artists film. Madonna delivers a very powerful dramatic performance leagues superior than any other role she has taken. Put aside your preconceived opinions of the pop princess,and you will be amazed at how she is entrenched in this character. As a reported victim of physical abuse, she brings chills to the role of a battered woman. This film made me believe there is room still for Madonna to conquer the big screen, as she has conquered the music industry.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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endurance test
Added 8/27/2007
Uneven. Have always liked Keitel and Russo, but not here. Both stiff. Awful.
Only one person to blame: the "director." Actually, two: the "writing" leaves a lot to be desired.
I have a suggestion: how about starting out with a sound, well-written screenplay next time?
You see, the screenplay is your foundation. Just like you can't build a house without a sound foundation,
you shouldn't attempt to make a film without a solid screenplay.
You, then, only then, build on that with good actors and a director with talent.
How about that for common sense?
And Madonna? To watch this woman try to act is agony beyond words. Not a single syllable that comes out of her mouth comes close to being believable.
Did she invest in this mess? Is that how she got the role?
Not that it matters.
11 out of 18 people found this helpful.
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Ferrara and Keitel re team for this frustrating drama
Added 10/27/2008
This review is written by an Abel fan rather than a Madonna fan who I think is unbearable in this movie. She stars as Sarah Jennings an actress who has just landed the lead role in a film called Mother of Mirrors. The film deals with a married couple who have lived a lifestyle that includes heavy drug use and sex with multiple partners. The wife has had a spiritual awakening and no longer wants to partake in these sinful activities. She's hoping that her husband will stop as well and she makes it her mission to save him. The husband doesn't want to hear it and he beats her and taunts her about her new found faith. Directing this film is Eddie Israel (Harvey Keitel). The fact that Keitel is playing a character very similar to director Abel Ferrara is what makes this challenging film worth the effort. The film within a film Mother of Mirrors is similar to Abel's relationship with his ex-wife Nancy. (Nancy even plays Eddie's wife in the movie.) Keitel completely captures Abel complete with the long hair, leather coat, and shades that Ferrara frequently wears. More than a physical transformation Keitel shows how Abel works with his actors: tender when he needs to be and violent and confrontational when the scene isn't working. This film feels a lot like David Lynch's Inland Empire as what is taking place in the fake movie begins to happen to the actors in their everyday lives. Sarah and Burns (James Russo) the actor playing her husband are actually having an off screen relationship that is becoming more violent as the film shoot progresses. Burns is fueled by heavy drug use which holds up shooting and leads to confrontations between him and Eddie. To further complicate things Eddie has even begun sleeping with Sarah. At times trying to figure out what is in the movie and what is actually happening can be confusing but mostly it's just annoying. The acting from Madonna and James Russo doesn't help any since they are both so grating and whine constantly. Keitel is the saving grace of the film turning in a fine performance but he alone can't save things. The film just plunges deeper and deeper into violence and drug use. What makes this film interesting for Abel fans is in watching this fictionalized account of his life and wondering how much of it is true. There is a scene towards the end of the film where Eddie confesses to Nancy that he has been sleeping with Sarah and the two women missed each other by seconds once when Nancy brought the kids to the set to pay him a visit. Eddie digs the knife deeper by admitting that Sarah wasn't the first that there have been numerous others on each film he has worked on. Eddie's timing couldn't be better since the time he chooses to get things off his chest happens to be the morning of Nancy's father's funeral. There is another interesting moment where Eddie ridicules Sarah and tells her that without him she would be nothing. He is doing her a favor by casting her in this movie and he is solely responsible for her career taking off. Madonna's production company Maverick produced this film and no doubt contributed money to the film. Abel probably would have had trouble getting this film made were it not for Madonna's participation. It fails to be as good as Bad Lieutenant even though it takes the same raw approach. Near the end of the film when things are looking hopeless for everyone especially Eddie who is lost in a haze of pills and booze he watches a documentary with director Werner Herzog. Herzog says that even if everyone tells him that the film is a masterpiece he will never be able to justify it to himself and thinks that he should be put in an insane asylum. The ending is certainly a downer as each character meets their dark fate and once Bob Dylan starts singing Blue Moon over the end credits you are glad that this Abel exercise is finally over.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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A sound riposte to Bad Lieutenant
Added 8/4/2008
You know how Amazon ratings work, so you might understand that I under-rated this mess because the over-all mean was way too high. This is a fascinating film in some ways. It's OK. Keitel and Russo have some unusual acting contexts in which to strut their stuff. It was mean to cast Madonna. She's so awful that the film seems to endorse all the misogynistic violence towards her. Keitel has fun playing Abel Ferrara, perhaps partly in revenge for being Catholicly "exploited" in Bad Lieutenant. I remember when I first saw this in the early 90s right after Bad Lieutenant, the intertextual references seemed very graphic. Less so now, but the film, as sub-standard as it is, has to be appreciated as a reaction by both keitel and Ferrara to their impressive collaboration in the aforementioned Zoe Tamerlis-scripted masterpiece. James Russo is excellent with a weakly-scripted part. Whatever happened to Russo? Such a good actor. Nicholas St. John - a frequent collaborator of Ferrara - shows no real talent in this rather enervated Hollywood lampoon. And for that matter, whatever happened to Ferrara?
2 out of 2 people found this helpful.
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Madonna's Finest (Celluloid) Moment
Added 7/10/2008
It has become so commonplace for critics (professional and armchair alike) to trash Madonna's film outings that when she does deliver a solid performance, hardly anyone sees or hears about it. Such is the case with Abel Ferrara's 1993 box office bomb, "Dangerous Game". With a Hollywood backdrop, the film chronicles the agonies and ecstasies (mostly agonies) of a highly volatile and unstable group of people attempting to get a movie completed. As the tensions in the film spill over into the real lives of the actors and director, an atmosphere of escalating insanity develops, turning the movie set into a breeding ground for out-of-control behavior. Although "Dangerous Game" was produced by Madonna's (former) company, Maverick, make no mistake about it, this is an Abel Ferrara film all the way down the line. It is tough, dark, and uncompromising, which is probably one of the reasons why many people seem to hate this film. Ferrara gained earlier fame with the gritty "Bad Lieutenant" and "Ms. 45", so a viewer familiar with those films will already have an idea what to expect from "Dangerous Game".
Harvey Keitel, as always, does a stellar job. Here he plays a New York film director, leaving his family to fly to L.A. and make an extremely disturbing film about infidelity and abuse. Keitel, with his frazzled hair and craggy face, realistically portrays the increasing isolation of his character from his wife and son, eventually sinking into despair and disillusionment. James Russo, as the male lead of the film-within-a-film, excels at playing psychopaths, and here he's walking a fine line as a man descending into a drug and alcohol induced world of paranoid madness. He's a good actor and gives a convincing performance but his constant carrying-on in this film does get wearying. Of course, as stated above, the real revelation comes from Madonna's (pardon the pun) immaculate performance as the film's female lead. She is totally believable in a role that calls for her to exhibit acting chops I never dreamed she had. Too many bad roles in bad movies have, I believe, led most people to stereotype her as a bad actress, but that's really not true. She's done good work in other films ("Evita", Desperately Seeking Susan", "Dick Tracy") but she's won notoriety for "Swept Away", "Who's That Girl?", "The Next Best Thing",and "Shanghai Surprise", and that's what most people think about when they hear the words Madonna and movie used in the same sentence. In "Dangerous Game" she's a gorgeous, frightened, overgrown kid trying to act like a tough grownup, and, in the process, becoming an eternal victim. It's easily Madonna's best acting job, and it's obvious that she had to reach deep within herself to deliver a performance of this range and quality.
The film itself is too relentlessly despairing and depressing. Despite the fine cinematography, there's an underlying ugliness to the film; it's an extremely effective and disturbing film, without ever being enjoyable, and maybe that's what killed it at the box office. Worth a look if you're aware of what you're getting into.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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