Funny and dark
Added 9/2/2009
I really enjoyed this movie. Ben Kingsley is great (as usual) and Tia Leone is very good in the role. It is a bizarre storyline and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
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You Bore Me
Added 7/12/2009
This DVD was a waste of plastic and Luke Wilson.
The big problem is the script. In fact, I have trouble understanding how this movie even got made unless the actors all agreed to do it on a dare at some LA pool party where they were all equally sloshed. The characters are flimsy and quirky to the point of insanity, with no explanations offered. If the plot isn't 100% predictable, that's only because you'll be too shocked while it rapes your prefrontal cortex to think ahead.
And what's wrong with Ben Kingsley? For some reason he plays a socially challenged gas attendant instead of a contract killer. His performance reminded me of an amalgamation of the certain type of quiet sociopath I meet at DMVs and bus stops, and Kingsley's portrayal is as fun to watch as it is to get a license renewal out of his real life counterpart. The difference with You Kill Me is you are stuck with him for an hour and a half.
In summation: the absurdist twists are neither interesting nor ridiculous enough to be funny, and since the plot has no redeeming value in and of itself, this makes for a movie as entertaining* as watching Ben Kingsley work through a bout of troubling constipation.
I give this movie two stars because the cinematography is absolutely brilliant. Whoever worked the exposure levels on those cameras deserves an award, especially since they were subject to untold takes of Kingsley's Simple Jack (Tropic Thunder reference; you're probably better off seeing that).
*Not actually that entertaining.
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The Good & Bad Of 'You Kill Me'
Added 7/1/2009
This was an interesting film, start-to-finish, with a little action, romance, humor, melodrama, suspense....a good combination of a lot of things. The acting is good, led by the always-fascinating Ben Kingsley who plays the lead role.
There was a good contrast in the areas: the snowy cold of winter in Buffalo and the dry and brighter look of San Francisco. I like the supporting actors in here, beginning with Dennis Farina as "O'Leary." He's another actor that always gets your attention. The movie also gives a nice plug for Alcoholics Anonymous. I kept waiting the smart remarks about it, but they surprised me on that one. Respect was given for the no-nonsense approach given by that famous organization which has helped a lot of people.
Even though it's "dark humor," the message said in here that being an alcoholic is a more serious problem than being a hit-man is a little far out. Tea Leoni's character was stupid and too profane. Also, being from the Buffalo area, I didn't care for the cheap shots on the city, either. People here are tired of that.
Overall, this is a strange film,and not surprising it wasn't a hit with the public. But, if you like something different, something a little "dark" yet romantic, you'd probably like this film. It's quirky, which seems to be the kinds of films Kingsley has been doing the past decade ("Sexy Beast," "House Of Sand And Fog," etc.)
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Twisted AA
Added 1/25/2009
I love this movie! Having said that, in order to get the subtleness of the subject matter, folks will need to be more than familiar with the issues of addiction and the process of recovery. For someone in recovery and whom has worked on themselves, the movie is a kick and you can bet more bizarre information has come around in 5th step discussions than what was revealed on screen. There will be questions that the content of the movie will raise, but here is where the suggested practice of "not taking onself too seriously" will fit. This is entertainment - great movie making in fact - but in this writer's opinion, not for general movie watching public. Enjoy, its killer!!!!!
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An Overlooked Gem!
Added 11/3/2008
I loved everything about this "little" movie. Let's start with its stellar cast -- Ben Kingsley is perfect as the lead, injecting just the right tone of humor, regret, and irony into his complex killer alcoholic family man role.
Tea Leoni is refreshing, and obviously needs to work more. She is well-cast as the somewhat flawed, understanding companion to Frank, and also brings the perfect mordant comic touch.
The rest of the cast is filled out with veteran character actors such as Philip Baker Hall and Dennis Farina, as well as understated, equally winning performances by Bill Pullman and Luke Wilson.
I loved the offbeat story of redemption, regret, and self-discovery, set amid smart, lovingly-filmed scenes of San Francisco and, later, Buffalo. Hilarious set pieces at the funeral home and at various AA meetings bring real life and dimension to Frank's dogged efforts at self-improvement.
I happened to catch this film while flipping around over the weekend and came away thinking it was one of the better films of 2007. Go figure.
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