Reviews

This could have been so good. The cinematography is wonderful, and I found the acting competent. But the plot is awful. There are asinine twists and turns throughout, with unrealistic 21st century politically correct ideology thrown in for good measure. Titanic is a serious film compared to this.

Maybe this is worthwhile if you have not seen the many, many films and TV shows that this borrows from. The plot and humor are totally adolescent. Finally, if a central figure is going to be a tennis professional, then get an actor who actually plays a little. Even with editing, it is obvious that he is about a high school junior varsity level.

Completely improbable plot as a vehicle for over the top political correctness. The writers obviously are against immigration laws, and are only too happy to make a hero out of people who break the law to get around immigration laws.

Denzel Washington knocks it out of the park on this one. He is entirely believable as a complex character- courageous but a bully, affectionate and tender but also hard and nasty. He should have received awards. Viola Davis also is convincing.

The script is entertaining and some of the dialog is brilliant- especially the humorous parts. But it is not a classic, as it has a bit too much melodrama, especially at the end.

One good thing about the script is that it shows a number of different character-types in a balanced way. You see each family member through the eyes of the others, but each (male) seems unable to understand his defects that are obvious to the other family members.

It would have been more complete to include more religion, as surely it was an important part of the culture- and this household, based on the house decor, but there are only superficial references.

What a complete waste of time. Completely juvenile in every respect. Gross, disgusting, I cannot believe anyone would give a positive rating unless they had a financial or personal interest. Only recommend to someone you dislike.

The acting is maybe not so bad, but the plot is so asinine that nothing could rescue it. How anyone could finance this script is beyond me. By all means, see it if there is absolutely nothing else to do and you enjoy having your intelligence insulted. Otherwise, stay away, stay away, stay away.

To be sure, this movie is melodramatic, but less so than Saving Private Ryan, for example. Also, improbable- but again, less than Saving Private Ryan and a large portion of the movies out there.

What is it? Just a very sweet (but not insulting), well acted movie that moves along at a brisk pace. The protagonist is terrific, and it is hard not to sympathize with him.

It is also a movie that has nothing disgusting. So it is a nice family movie, though it is NOT a children's movie.

The negative ratings, predictably, focus on the positive depiction of the Catholic Church. I would say it is realistic.

One of the few movies that I stopped watching because of the graphic violence.

There is also some gross sadistic sexual stuff, to go along with the gore. And some prayer, another highly unoriginal example of Hollywood's ongoing obsession with making religious people look hypocritical.

I cannot imagine how anyone beyond the maturity of a 13 year-old would not be totally grossed out.

In other words, anyone who would want to watch this falls into the category of people who should not be allowed to watch it.

Shame on everyone associated with this.

Sad because some of the cast members have good track records.

This film is shameful on several levels. First, it disgustingly violent. Second, it glorifies violence. Third, it shows violence as funny. Fourth, it is outrageously racist- every white (other than a German) is sinister, and most are stupid. Fifth, this racism is used to justify the first three points. Sixth, while some of the plot twists are clever, several are just ridiculous, and covered by the typical device of moving so quickly that you don't have time to consider how improbable they are. Other than the foregoing, it is pretty good- fast-paced and sometimes funny. But how can anyone be so desensitized that he/she does not appreciate how offensive and dangerous this is? There is more to life than entertainment.

This film is a bit over the top, but was sufficiently realistic to engage me. Some low-level schools may approach this level of violence and depravity- I hope not. But the movie itself should be a good teaching tool for all, especially students. Most importantly, that young people have to go to adults when they are in trouble.

Criticisms: while it was nice to see the concept of 'honor' mentioned for a change, it could have been developed a bit more. Also, I have been to Estonia, and the people were very nice. But the youth of Estonia are shown as a bunch of psychopaths.

Some have mentioned "Elephant', I guess I will have to see it.

Self-indulgent, incoherent trash. I made the mistake of trusting the IMDb rating and the promising storyline. My wife and I and others in the theater were completely irritated by this movie. It makes other avant garde French films seem normal. AVOID. To fill this out, I will acknowledge that there were a few funny moments, not all of them intended, I am sure. The acting also was pretty good. Still, this is a reminder of why I try to avoid French films. If I have to choose between this and Hollywood, I'll take Hollywood anytime. And why do they make us write so much? I think I made my point, and do not need to waste your time.

Just saw this hatchet job. When I saw that pretty much the whole cast was a collection of liberal activists, I expected a distorted picture, and that's what it is. I am no Palin fan, but this was over the top.

Having said this, it is entertaining; some of those liberal actors (especially Moore) are pretty good! I have never liked Harrelson as an actor, but it was truly comical to see him trying to be a conservative operator- after all, he is a real liberal activist. Ditto for Ed Harris, though he actually does a pretty nice job as McCain. But, of course, the object here is to discredit Palin by blaming her for the loss. Obama was going to win anyway, given the economy and media bias.

I came across this movie while channel surfing yesterday, and IT IS ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES I HAVE SEEN IN A LONG TIME. Completely original content, humorous, and thought-provoking without being pretentious. In essence, a highly intelligent (but charmingly despicable) woman confronts divorce, death, the inadequacy of her children, and most powerfully, her grandson with Down Syndrome. It is pleasant enough if you just want to sit back, have a laugh and shed a tear or two. But it would be a shame to miss the observations on the human condition. The film is set in Ireland, but the characters are Anglo-Irish; the perspective and humor is a pleasant mix of Irish and English. No one in the film is "normal", which allows for some wonderful perspectives on each other's condition. The acting is excellent. Conclusion: unless the word is spread, this film will remain an undiscovered gem.

The negative comments on this film surprise me, because I loved it. Maybe some help, though it has been years since I saw it: 1- this is not about the disco era, but rather about a certain socio-economic group as the disco era was ending; 2- the humor and dialog is subtle and quirky-- many people evidently do not get it. If you think most sitcoms are stupid, you probably will like this. 3- though not plot-driven, there is a plot. Innocent girl in NYC, surrounded by self-confident and self-indulgent companions, who are the best she can do in the absence of real friends (a situation any young person arriving to a new big city can understand). Friends encourage her to do things at odds with her instincts...conflict and consequences.

I am tempted to trash this movie because of all the pathetic ratings claiming this to be the best war movie of all time. It is actually pretty good, typical Spielberg mass-market melodrama (and yes, with an appallingly one-sided perspective).

But you have seen it already, right?? Before getting all emotional, think about the far-fetched premise of the movie (and don't say it was based on a real story, the Sullivan brothers story is different after the first line), the silly fight between the (previously released) diabolical German and the Jewish US soldier, etc.

Then go see some other good war films (Gallipoli and Das Boot are among my favorites). If you are objective and over 18, my guess is you will agree that SPR will not stand the test of time