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Live From Butt-Numb-A-Thon, El Cosmico Reviews FINDING FORRESTER
El Cosmico here, well, here we are in the midst of Butt-Numb-A-Thon's first
feature, the truly outstanding DESTINATION MARS. Probably the first truly inspired
bit of work that I've seen done on DV. Anyway, you'll be hearing enough about that soon
enough, especially if the Sci-Fi Channel is wise enough to pick it up.
Since I've already seen it, I thought I'd take this time to write a couple of reviews of
other works of quality. Sadly, our theatres are filled these days with loads of crap, but
soon enough, fine films of taste will arrive. I saw a couple of these yesterday, but haven't had time to write them up until now.
The first of these is FINDING
FORRESTER, the new film from Gus Van Sant, and starring Sean Connery. Now, I'm not really a huge fan of Gus, I think
he usually does a fair job, and while I like Sean Connery as a personality (you may have seen
his recent fine handling of Jay Leno on the Tonight Show), let's face it, the fellow has
made some pretty average films. So, I can't say I was expecting much, other than an
attempt at hokey feel-goodedness.
The film revolves around a student, played
EXPERTLY by Rob Brown, whom I've never seen before, but who clearly deserves a long career.
Brown's character meets Connery's Forrester character, who assists his intellectual pursuits against
all of the odds placed against him, including the foil character played by F. Murray Abraham.
Along the way, Brown meets up with and befriends Anna Paquin, who is in my opinion one of the
few young actresses with a real sense of taste and quality. Not only is she consistently
charming, she continues to pick intelligent roles and show that she clearly deserves them.
F. Murray Abraham's teacher character is perhaps the least strong of the film's characters,
some of the other local reviewers I spoke with afterward felt that his character was a bit too
much of a cliche, as the mean old teacher who can do nothing but impede the progress of someone
whom he should be helping. I didn't share that opinion, since I think the character is a bit
more complex than that (as the story bears out), and since I've known professors who are
exact copies of this character. In any case, he does come off a bit Salieri-like. Some will
be bothered by this, but I don't think it's a significant issue.
Most noteworthy, of course, is Connery's performance as Forrester. I honestly think that this
is one of the best performances he's EVER committed to film. Certainly, in the last two decades.
We all know how much screen presence the fellow has, but unfortunately, his choices have usually
ranged from average to above average at best. Well, in Forrester, he has found a truly
excellent character, and played the role PERFECTLY. Flawlessly. Truly impressive.
Beyond that, the writing behind FINDING FORRESTER is excellent at nearly every turn, much
better than I expected after seeing the preview. There were a great many times when
I found myself thinking "Damn, that's a fine bit of writing." Many, many times, in fact.
So, in a time when worthy films are few and far between, FINDING FORRESTER is one of the
few works that is actually worth paying full price for.
Well, I'm going to get some
food. More to come from Butt-Numb-A-Thon as the horror progresses...if you want to get email through to
us here, I'll be checking mine, and I can pass your kind words along.
-El Cosmico
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Van Sant directed Good Will Hunting, which I understand is similar in theme, and the teacher/mentor role played by Williams ended up getting the Oscar. Just a thought.
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as the first feature at BNAT?
If so, what a cool flick!
I wish i was there instead of crummy ol' Canada. Ah well, maybe next year. -
Oh I think you do Trebek. I think you do indeed.
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A LEATHER GLOVE!
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Then I'm the cock of the walk! Shut up, Trebek! You wouldn't have known that if you hadn't had that card!
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I have to take him in defence. It seems it's very cool not to like him these days. Well, I loved his performance in "The Rock" and especially "Hunt for red october".
His portrait of this russian is just awesome work. And don't remember he still IS James Bond. -
I think people don't give Sean Connery his credit. He made the majority of the good bond films, films which are entertaining and loved by most Americans. I don't wanna hear "most of them aren't good, just have a set audience" If that's true then Harrison Ford should be in the same boat, and all the other serial actors should be dismissed. Sean Connery IS a good actor, he gave a wonderful performance in "The Untouchables" a great movie (Which contained one of the coolest scenes in movie history, the one where the takes the already dead mobster and shoots him to intimidate the accountant. I loved it). He recived an Oscor for that one. Give the actor some credit, if people didn't like him, he wouldn't be so famous.
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The man has been in some mediocre films of late. But lets face it if he wasn't in them they would have completely sucked. He has improved every single film he's been in. And unfortunately in some cases he was the only thing worth watching.
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The screenplay for this film won the Nicholl's competition a few years back, which obviously means the script is top-notch. I'm glad they finally made it... and I suspect Connery will take home an Oscar, not just get nominated...
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Losers whine their best, winners go home ad fuck the prom queen!!!
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Gosh..I always wet my self thinking ABOUT Celeb. Jepordy...SON OF A...crap.....
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He's still around?
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I dont know where you got the name 'michael pitt' .. the actor playing the young man in the film is Rob Brown... he did a fine job, and yes, I agree it's one of the best films of the year.
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I would kill if Sean Connery did SNL Celebrity Jeopardy. Come on, Lorne Michaels, Sean, who you want dead? I think FINDING FORRESTER will be a fine film, and I'm looking forward to seeing it.
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As far as revisiting the old themes again... most name directors have fetish themes and they don't always get the harsh criticism for it that Van Sant gets...
On the other hand. The man can be visionary and challenging and this territory (for better or worse) doesn't necessarily use his talents in the ways that his previous riskier work did (Drugstore Cowboy, Private Idaho, etc...)
anyone else wishing he had done BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN instead? -
I was afraid Connery was not going to make another good film before he died. I still think he would have made an excellent Gandalf (though having just seen the pictures of Ian McKellen I think that PJ made the right choice)I am a great Connery fan, he was the best James Bond. Here is a list of films in which Sean Connery shows he has talent (excluding Bond films)
The Hill (1965)
The Man Who Would be King (1975)
Robin and Marina (1976)
The First Train Robbery (1979)
The Name of the Rose (1986)
The Untouchables (1987)
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989-his best performance to date)
The Hunt for Red October (1990)
The Rock (1996)
Those are probably Sean's best films and to be frank his recent choices have been downright naff. It is good to see him settling down into character roles and accepting he is TOO OLD FOR ACTION FILMS (although if Indy 4 happens I will make an exception-Dr Henry Jones was a masterful creation) He also ought to make another film with Michael Caine, a thriller perhaps, they were good in partnership -
Shut up Trebek, with your greasy hair and your dago mustache. Celebrity Jeopardy is the funniest thing ever (except possibly Eddie Izzard.)
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How exactly did Sean Connery handle that bumbling idiot jay leno?? anyone have a transcript??
--david
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