Reviews

Knowing they were wrapping up this very good series, the writers seemed pressed to come up with their own version of the "twist" ending that would leave loyal viewers to think "Never saw that coming!". I am not referring to the long and much anticipated love scene with Walt n Vic. That was a given. It was simply a matter of how they were going to film it. Nor am I referring to Henry ending up running the casino after Nighthorse takes his leave of absence. It seemed out of character for Henry to give up his beloved continual soiree at the Red Pony for a suit job. Nor am I referring to the long wished for demise of Malachi which had to happen and was therefore predictable. No. I am referring to Cady Longmire running for Sheriff based on the urgings of her overly protective father, who has inexplicably decided to retire! And that after a long hard fought win to get reelected. This would be about as expected as Ruby and Ferg making a love child. To say this makes no sense is a gross understatement. For six seasons we watched Walt get beat up, shot, sued, defamed, insulted, framed, and confronted with mysterious crime after crime that only his experience and Holmes-like deductive reasoning could overcome. And now he thinks because his daughter has a law degree she can handle this kind of occupation? This stretches credibility to the breaking point and does so irreparably. It left such a bad taste that this contradictory story line could be conceived as laudable let alone probable. My disappointment resides in this being such a well written series that this "twist" is so unsatisfactory to me.

I'll say this: Mr. Del Toro can make a cinematic experience memorable. I don't know any director who can craft a film in such an exquisite manner and at the same time inject revolting and mind numbing scenes of vulgarity and violence leaving you to ponder the point of it all.

In Pan's Labyrinth this combination worked to make a point about self sacrifice and mercy in an ugly world. Hellboy was strictly for entertainment and laughs. I enjoyed both, but for different reasons.

But in the Shape of Water, there is a different paradigm in play. While played ultimately as a fantasy, Del Toro makes it morally and ethically acceptable for a woman to express concern and mercy for another species by... mating with it? Perhaps the only reason this is remotely okay is because the creature is intelligent and has the ability to converse through sign language, and it has the shape of a humanoid. I do believe apes fit this description, too.

But, as I say, this is a fantasy and so it must play out as a weird and unusual love story. One where even a plain Jane mute with only a homosexual middle age man for a close friend can find herself as attractive, as long as it is with a fish-amphib- man.

The premise, as I make it out to be, falls more than a bit flat since you must not only suspend disbelief but your natural inclination to find only those of your own species as suitable mates. Asking us to do both at the same time in the name of what - tolerance, diversity? - is more than most can take.

So in this sense, Del Toro goes where no man has gone before and makes a beautifully crafted and repulsive movie wrapped in the same container. I'll give it a hesitant nod toward the positive only because the attempt at high mindedness is laudable, though regrettable in the manner of its execution on screen.

I really wanted to like this. Not having read the book, and also knowing very few Stephen King novels have translated well onto the screen (Stand By Me, The Dead Zone, and Shawshank Redemption being notable exceptions), I still decided to give it a chance.

This thing started out well enough with an intriguing premise. But after three episodes, all the Hollywood clichés and trends are assuming their dutiful positions to lecture us on the proper way to view humanity today.

To whit: white adult males are generally 1)incompetent (the "priest" who accidentally burns down the dead sheriff's home with an amazingly stupid act that even a child would know better about); 2)emotionally unstable (the deputy who discharges his gun into the dome after a rant and accidentally kills another deputy); 3)conniving and devious and probably downright evil (Big Jim who as city councilman basically tries to be the de facto dictator); 4)insane (the son of Big Jim, "Junior", who, five minutes after making love to his girlfriend and subsequently being dumped by her - for reasons not made clear - suddenly decides the best thing to do is to lock her up in a bomb shelter, because he sees her talking to the "mysterious stranger". He then accosts said stranger accusing him of stealing his girl, gets beat up, looks for a way out, thwarted there starts crushing every bone in his hand beating against the dome wall.) 5) homophobic ( a man in a restaurant makes an unwelcome comment to the lesbian "moms" in search of their missing "daughter").

The only Anglo Saxon male who comes off remotely sympathetic is the sheriff, but his pace-maker blows out of his chest in the first episode thereby relieving us of the pleasure of having to watch someone who may actually be a decent man.

The mysterious stranger "Barbie" is no lofty character. He is introduced killing the newspaper reporter woman's husband in some kind of bad business deal gone wrong. After burying the guy, he then takes up residence in the dead man's own house, the unsuspecting wife having taken a shine to him, invites him to live with her! Oh but the remaining deputy is a Hispanic woman. She is not only competent, she has principles. She takes charge like a man who's been a 20 year veteran of a big city police force. Big Jim likes her, but she, quite rightly does not like him and puts him in his place. This is the only person who can do this to Big Jim and naturally, it is a woman.

The red headed newspaper reporter is tough, competent and resilient, but maybe too trusting because she is the one who invites the killer of her husband to bunk in her house.

Then there are the two lesbian "partner" moms (one of whom is Black) with the typically recalcitrant teen daughter. Of course, they are portrayed as noble, long suffering, loving and misunderstood parents of a rebellious teen girl. Naturally, they meet people who greet the knowledge of lesbian motherhood with raised eyebrows (how dare they! Don't they know this is the 21st century?), and of course, a homophobic statement by - you guessed it - a local yokel white Anglo Saxon male. The black man sitting next to him does not make a comment, that is reserved for the white Anglo Saxon male to make because only they can be bigoted. At least according to Hollywood.

The overall acting in this thing is barely professional. The direction is probably part of the problem. The writing and dialogue are what's the most objectionable. It just doesn't come across as realistic or credible.

My interest in this drama has waned to the point of mostly disinterest. I am not likely to go out of my way to see the rest of this.

There is nothing about this film that cannot be summed up as one of the most esthetically brilliant movies ever made. The moment of each scene is as though captured on a similarly conceived work by a Dutch master himself.

But what of the storyline? It tells of a snippet in the life of Johannes Vermeer, one of the more highly regarded of the old Dutch masters, that attempts to explain the origin of one of his more unusual and enigmatic works, Girl with a Pearl Earring. The post-medieval time of Dutch-European Holland is vividly recreated as the backdrop for a character study of the brilliant painter. His relationship with his wife, one of quiet submission, his matriarchal mother, and his most important patron - upon whom the plot for the reason for the paintings commission and therefore its reason for being - are deftly handled.

It is of course, though, in Vermeer's relationship with the assumed model for the painting, his maid, that the power of the story resides. There are several scenes that build one upon the other, that construct the ever growing sensual connection that comes between Vermeer and Griet. It climaxes at the point where Vermeer's hand gently removes a tear from Griet's cheek when she cries from the brief pain of having her ear pierced for the wearing of the pearl earring of the title. It is a magical, almost overpowering moment where you half expect them to forget who they are and abandon themselves to their feelings for each other. I say only half expect because both understand their station, master and maid, and he married at that, and so nothing will come of it but a separate longing for what cannot be.

Highly recommended for those who appreciate esthetics in all aspects of a films creation: cinematography, set design, score and direction.