The subject matter is bleak and depressing, but could have made for a good film (especially seeing as it has been done before).
With Janeane Garofalo as one of the title characters, there was even more of an expectation that the IMDB score of 5.5, was a fluke and/or that reviewers were just missing the point. Say what you will about Garafolo, but she's a powerhouse of acting skills and much more charismatic and attractive than some give her credit for being. Anna Gunn too, was a draw. THE woman who portrayed Skyler White of BB fame SO distastefully well, that the character's name became synonymous with cold, unsupportive wives everywhere, and this was something I could not miss.
Lamentably, after watching it, I kind of wish I had.
Among the worst of the film's foibles is that given the aforementioned talent, surprisingly, the acting from all three leads left a lot to be desired. Most of the interactions between Gunn and Garafolo felt forced and not very organic - almost as if you are watching two strangers working at attempting to form a friendship. Worse still, the portrayal of the sleaze bucket by Linus Roache, was exceptionally terrible. Perhaps it isn't that he was not believable as said sleaze bucket; maybe it is that he was too believable as a sleaze bucket - and nothing else. The range of emotions necessary to pull off the nuances of his role, were never part of the actor's almost uninterested delivery.
On a better note, the soundtrack to The Apology is pretty good, with the Ages and Ages version of the closing "Auld Lang Syne", being SO particularly noteworthy and resonant, that I bought it.
With Janeane Garofalo as one of the title characters, there was even more of an expectation that the IMDB score of 5.5, was a fluke and/or that reviewers were just missing the point. Say what you will about Garafolo, but she's a powerhouse of acting skills and much more charismatic and attractive than some give her credit for being. Anna Gunn too, was a draw. THE woman who portrayed Skyler White of BB fame SO distastefully well, that the character's name became synonymous with cold, unsupportive wives everywhere, and this was something I could not miss.
Lamentably, after watching it, I kind of wish I had.
Among the worst of the film's foibles is that given the aforementioned talent, surprisingly, the acting from all three leads left a lot to be desired. Most of the interactions between Gunn and Garafolo felt forced and not very organic - almost as if you are watching two strangers working at attempting to form a friendship. Worse still, the portrayal of the sleaze bucket by Linus Roache, was exceptionally terrible. Perhaps it isn't that he was not believable as said sleaze bucket; maybe it is that he was too believable as a sleaze bucket - and nothing else. The range of emotions necessary to pull off the nuances of his role, were never part of the actor's almost uninterested delivery.
On a better note, the soundtrack to The Apology is pretty good, with the Ages and Ages version of the closing "Auld Lang Syne", being SO particularly noteworthy and resonant, that I bought it.