Reviews

What you need to know about this film. 1-the camera assumes the role of a character playing a Television screen and what the Television screen sees. 2-It's a performance film.

Now with all that out of the way you also need to know that this film while watchable at times become pretentious with it's overinjection of special effects which dull the content.

I had a couple of problems with this film and one being that the gritty screenplay at times tries to "be" Jim Jarmusch in the way Jarmusch handles humor. Wacky special effects and Jarmusch-esque humor in a prison film? I don't think so. My main complaint is that the whole Fixed camera idea deflates the basic notion of film itself. Film should let the camera wander around. The fixed camera makes you feel that you are watching a play. I'm sure that the screenplay could have made a pretty good Off Broadway play but to film an entire movie from a fixed position dulls the ability of Film to transcend all arts. I suggest this film be watched but not because it's good but because it proves that the camera should roam free and this film clearly shows what happens when the camera justs stays locked in one position...it makes film boring and unwatchable.

I saw this film in Argentina in 1995 on television. This film is perhaps one of the greatest boxing and biopic film ever made in my opinion.

Even if you're not a boxing fan, You'll enjoy the beautiful color this film was photographed in. This film tells the story of an Argentinian boxer who becomes famous and falls faster than the Jake Lamotta character in Raging Bull. Add to all of this the historical background Gatica takes place in. In one of the more amazing scenes I have ever seen the character of Gatica has just lost his son but is more grief stricken by the death of Eva Peron who he has just visted on her death bed. Gatica is a socially detached character who seems to function according to his own rules. He is a womanizer and a brute but the film unlike Raging Bull does not ask us to judge him but to feel what he feels. Gatica is swept up by history even though according to himself he was'nt even that good and did'nt even want to fight. You have to admire the director who makes a Film and not some boring "Playhouse" drama. The film answers some of the toughest questions posed by visual planning scenes out and some great editing and music soundtrack which takes you through the times of 1940's & 50's.

If you like watching Stallone in tacky suits and trying to act tough than this just might be your cup of tea. Be warned though you have to endure dumb car chases, explosions and worst of all: Stallone crying!

What really gets me is the silly ending this film has. If you seen the original "Get Carter" the ending is what makes the movie here the ending of this movie just seems to look like a possible sequel entry.

Mickey Rourke is in it and you feel sorry for him because he steals the movie, Too bad there isn't much of a movie to steal.

This gritty film about prison life tries it's hardest to showcase the ugliness of prison life yet it fails to do that.

I was left with a bad taste in my mouth after watching this film but not because of what I saw but by what I didn't see.

Films like "American Me" or "Pixote" were much harsher and more daring in what it presented as the brutalities of prison life.

This film wants to show you that but instead stops short and tells the story of the main characters which at times is rather dull.

Don't get me wrong it's worth a look for the incredible performance Willem Dafoe delivers and for Mickey Rourke who almosts walks away with the whole movie. Yet if you like your prison films brutal than this aint it. At least it's better than "Tree's Lounge".

I think it's easily the worst film of the last 20 years. It never makes it's point. I think this film will inspire a crop of people to go into the filmmaking business thinking that they can surely do better than this.

When I saw this film in Early January 2000, people started throwing popcorn at the screen when the film finished. I never thought I would live to see the day when Ashley Judd would make me want to vomit.

I don't think there's a film in the last 20 years which is worst than Eye of the Beholder.