"The January Man" is one of the most ludicrously-conceived, miscast, and blatantly manhandled films ever. Why is it, then, that I always find myself watching it late-at-night (usually in the venue of USA or TNN networks)? Maybe I'm a glutton for punishment. During my recent viewing, however, I noticed something. Within each actor struggling on-screen to make yet another terrible line work, a emotion best characterized by the phrase, "Oh, what the hell..." I do not doubt that Kline, Steiger, Rickman, and Keitel--talented as they might be--knew they got cast in a good idea gone bad. When they finally admitted it to themselves, they decided to have fun with what was left. The result is a very bad movie starring good actors acting badly, reveling in their own badness: an accomplishment in postmodernism if anything ever was.
So how does one rate such a situation (probably best not use the word "film" here)? Two options: 1) You ignore the context of what has been brought to and upon these actors and go for the jugular. In the IMDB realm of rating, that would result in a 2 or 3 (1/2 star or * for those liking a four-star system). 2) You sit back, leave your logic at home, grab a buddy or spouse who revels in bad movies, and have a lot of fun. A "so bad it's good night" would be in order: rating of 6 or 7.
I'll take the low road. Final rating: 6, with a wink.
Recommendations for viewing: Romance is out of the question; think neighbor or football buddy. Go with some junk food and the cheapest beer you can find. Watch as part of a triple feature, including "Plan 9 From Outer Space" and "Ishtar."
So how does one rate such a situation (probably best not use the word "film" here)? Two options: 1) You ignore the context of what has been brought to and upon these actors and go for the jugular. In the IMDB realm of rating, that would result in a 2 or 3 (1/2 star or * for those liking a four-star system). 2) You sit back, leave your logic at home, grab a buddy or spouse who revels in bad movies, and have a lot of fun. A "so bad it's good night" would be in order: rating of 6 or 7.
I'll take the low road. Final rating: 6, with a wink.
Recommendations for viewing: Romance is out of the question; think neighbor or football buddy. Go with some junk food and the cheapest beer you can find. Watch as part of a triple feature, including "Plan 9 From Outer Space" and "Ishtar."