Got on my nerves
Added 11/10/2009
At first, I figured this was an incest movie, and there are hints of that, even though that turns out to be a false alarm from the opening moments. Instead, it's a tale about misplaced hippy-dippy values as Daniel Day-Lewis battles developers on an island that seems like a deserted Martha's Vineyard. He's rich so he can afford not to work while living in a leftover 70s commune while waiting to die young from a heart condition. Problem is I never really cared about the characters, and the fairy-like daughter just got on my nerves. She just needed to be smacked.
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A near classic of disillusion and loss
Added 9/14/2009
Not a cheerful movie. Full of striking imagery and another excellent performance from Daniel Day-Lewis. In fact, all the acting is first rate. Written by Arthur Miller's daughter, Rebecca, it is a film that should have done better. One of its themes is incest and it seems to suggest that radical sixties idealism destroys just as surely as rabid consumer capitalism--at least when it comes to the individual. Any thinking film-goer should see this movie.
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Deeply Moving
Added 8/12/2009
I don't know how I missed The Ballad of Jack and Rose in the cinema. The beautiful landscapes and up-close and personal, contact type of cinematography would have been great in a darkened large auditorium. However, the quality of the DVD brings this experience to life.
Daniel Day-Lewis lends the five stars to the DVD. The depth of acting, and intimacy between Jack and his daughter (Camilla Belle) was phenomenal. I found this a painful film to watch and was deeply moved.
There were some elements to the script that could have been left off, Catherine Keen (as Kathleen) wasn't plausible as a working class, stand-by-your-man-of-the-moment type. The inclusion of a copperhead/snake comes off like a metaphor that doesn't work that well, except its scary, sort of.
The director, Rebecca Wilson, brought out the best of her cast and crew. Fortunately, Kathleen's two teenage sons, Ryan McDonald, and Paul Dano were great, really bringing their characters to live.
The Ballad of Jack and Rose rates as an excellent, highly emotionally impacting film.
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A breath of fresh air
Added 1/26/2009
Released in 2005 and directed by Rebecca Miller, Daniel Day-Lewis's wife, "The Ballad of Jack and Rose" tells the story of a Scottish immigrant, Jack (Day-Lewis), and his daughter, Rose, who live alone on an isle off the East coast. The time is 1986 and their home is an ex-commune that attracted a lot of people in the early 70s.
Jack's struggling with a weak heart and could buy the farm any day. He suddenly realizes that his daughter's attachment to him is getting unhealthy when she declares she's going to die when he dies, so he tries an "experiment" -- enlisting his sometime-girlfriend and her two sons from the mainland to come live with them. The experiment doesn't go well because it stirs up the jealous wrath of Rose, not to mention it's her first real exposure to society -- and sexuality. On top of all this, Jack conflicts with a land developer (Beau Bridges) who's building colonial-style homes on the wetlands next to the ex-commune.
Although I loved this film my wife called it "stupid," indicating that this is pretty much a love it/hate it piece.
NOTEWORTHY ITEMS:
-- Although there's thankfully no incest the subject does come up. Boundaries must be established in any loving relationship, ahead of time, if you know what I mean.
-- Although the story takes place in the USA it was filmed on Prince Edward Island, Canada. Good locations.
-- Everyone talks about how beautiful the girl who plays Rose (Camilla Belle) is, but -- c'mon -- what is she, 16 years-old? Jack's redheaded girlfriend (Catherine Keener) is the real beauty here.
-- The two sons of Jack's girlfriend are like day and night. Rodney is intelligent, unique and nigh-spiritual, while Thadius possesses a rodent-like feral evil and isn't even remotely appealing. Jenna Malone plays a friend visiting from the mainland; I couldn't figure out what she found attractive about Thadius, except maybe he was the only eligible male within 50 miles.
-- Rose has her first-time sexual experience and I felt sorry for the poor girl. The scene successfully shows that sex apart from true love (which includes commitment in my book) is mechanical, boring and meaningless.
-- Jack is an ex-hippie radical idealist who lives free of the shackles of capitalism. It's only natural that he would conflict with the housing developer pushing "progress." But what do you do when you discover you're not so different from your nemesis and he's actual a good guy?
-- The soundtrack includes songs by Bob Dylan and Creedance. I don't usually like Dylan but a great song by him is included here -- "One More Cup of Coffee." Watch for it late in the story when Jack and Rose leave the island to confront the real estate developer. Unfortunately it's only a snippet.
-- Did they take the names Jack and Rose from "Titanic"?
FINAL ANALYSIS: What I like best about "The Ballad of Jack and Rose" is its originality and unpredictability. I'm personally weary of 'summer blockbusters' and everything that goes with 'em. Take for instance "Iron Man." Yes it's a well-done film adaption of the comic, albeit predictable and by-the-numbers, but do we really need another superhero movie? "Jack and Rose" is the perfect remedy for such drivel.
The film runs 10 minutes shy of 2 hours.
PERSONAL GRADE: A-
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It's A Shame...
Added 7/10/2008
I am a huge fan of Daniel Day-Lewis and I think he is the most talented actor I have ever seen. Part of his intelligence comes from picking movies that he wants to do rather than going for the easy money. He doesn't work that often and I have read stories about directors and other actors basically begging him to be in a film. With that said I think he made a mistake by being in this movie. This is his wife's movie and I heard that he didn't want to be in it until he finally broke down and agreed. Bad choice. This is a boring movie with a twisted plot. It's basically about a father and a daughter who are in love with each other. Pretty sick stuff if you ask me. Not only that, but this movie is BORING! It looks nice and is filmed beautifully, but the acting isn't that great. Even Mr. Day-Lewis looked like he didn't really know what to do with his role. There was a few interesting things about this movie... the two brothers that come to live with Jack and Rose are awesome. Other than that I can't really think of any reason to like this film. I give it one star because I can't give it zero.
1 out of 7 people found this helpful.
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Got on my nerves
Added 11/10/2009
At first, I figured this was an incest movie, and there are hints of that, even though that turns out to be a false alarm from the opening moments. Instead, it's a tale about misplaced hippy-dippy values as Daniel Day-Lewis battles developers on an island that seems like a deserted Martha's Vineyard. He's rich so he can afford not to work while living in a leftover 70s commune while waiting to die young from a heart condition. Problem is I never really cared about the characters, and the fairy-like daughter just got on my nerves. She just needed to be smacked.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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A near classic of disillusion and loss
Added 9/14/2009
Not a cheerful movie. Full of striking imagery and another excellent performance from Daniel Day-Lewis. In fact, all the acting is first rate. Written by Arthur Miller's daughter, Rebecca, it is a film that should have done better. One of its themes is incest and it seems to suggest that radical sixties idealism destroys just as surely as rabid consumer capitalism--at least when it comes to the individual. Any thinking film-goer should see this movie.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Deeply Moving
Added 8/12/2009
I don't know how I missed The Ballad of Jack and Rose in the cinema. The beautiful landscapes and up-close and personal, contact type of cinematography would have been great in a darkened large auditorium. However, the quality of the DVD brings this experience to life.
Daniel Day-Lewis lends the five stars to the DVD. The depth of acting, and intimacy between Jack and his daughter (Camilla Belle) was phenomenal. I found this a painful film to watch and was deeply moved.
There were some elements to the script that could have been left off, Catherine Keen (as Kathleen) wasn't plausible as a working class, stand-by-your-man-of-the-moment type. The inclusion of a copperhead/snake comes off like a metaphor that doesn't work that well, except its scary, sort of.
The director, Rebecca Wilson, brought out the best of her cast and crew. Fortunately, Kathleen's two teenage sons, Ryan McDonald, and Paul Dano were great, really bringing their characters to live.
The Ballad of Jack and Rose rates as an excellent, highly emotionally impacting film.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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