Such a stunning achievement of the late 1950s, a rare American film of that era that feels ahead of its time with its dark subject matter and raw energy. I just watched the 1998 restored version for the first time, which was a huge thrill. The plot is convoluted enough that I’ve never been able to love this movie with a capital L, but there’s so much to enjoy about it, especially the gorgeous cinematography and such an exciting ensemble…
What a disappointment. Paul Newman + Sally Field + Sydney Pollack should = greatness, but this turgid drama mostly just limps along to a forgettable ending. It’s part high-stakes journalism drama, part love story, and the movie just never really takes flight. Newman is fine, but he does nothing notable to deserve that Best Actor Oscar nomination. Melinda Dillon, however, is amazing in basically one crucial dramatic scene halfway through the movie, and her ing Actress Oscar nomination is inspired!
I’m sad because I wanted to love this. What a unique and extraordinary feat of cinematography, with some terrific performances throughout.
But in its overlong, heavily episodic 140 minutes, all I could ever pay attention to was the striking imagery of the film and that unusual first-person point-of-view. As much as I was impressed with how this movie was made, the shooting style on display unfortunately never allowed for any immersion into the narrative itself, or the characters, or the…
Mikey Madison gives the performance of the year in Sean Baker’s audacious masterpiece Anora. This film is a constant delight, Baker’s vision always captivating and specific, the narrative filled with great humor, emotion, authenticity, and endless surprises. Madison is a star.
