My weekly movie reviews. You can also read these on letterboxd.
This week focuses on two films by Paul Schrader and two by Abel Ferrara.
LIGHT SLEEPER (1992)
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
One thing’s for sure, when Martin Scorsese, commenting on why he chose Schrader to adapt BRINGING OUT THE DEAD, said that the scribe knows how to write New York at night better than anyone else, he was on the money. The journey of this character, similar to so many other diary-keeping Schrader protagonists, is a dark, nocturnal dream.
And the strongest parts of the movie are those night sequences, when Dafoe is driving alone or walking the streets. It also soars in the small encounters, his conversations with his ex-lover and the therapist (a nice cameo from Schrader’s wife). On this viewing however, some other scenes didn’t sell. All of the things that happen in Sarandon’s apartment feel forced to me. They’re tonally different with rapid fire banter that falls flat. As much as I love character actor David Clennon, his performance doesn’t work here and that might not be his fault.
I’m not convinced of Sarandon’s internal work either. The ending could be powerful but does the film earn that conclusion? It’s hard to say. When I first saw LIGHT SLEEPER, it impacted me more than it does now. Perhaps that was because I barely knew Schrader’s work then so it felt fresh. Perhaps it’s the mood I’m in now that has effected my read on the film. I’ll revisit in a couple of years and see.
Watched on Tubi.
TOUCH (1997)
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
I don’t dislike this mid-90s, lightweight effort from Paul Schrader as much as some of my peers.
It’s a harmless movie, not bad but unremarkable. However, I found it to be easy to watch and it did not spark much criticism. It’s entertaining only because of the performers, specifically Skeet whose easy-going modern saint is a character you can just relax and listen to. Bridget Fonda is always fun to watch, regardless of the movie. Sexy and smart, this movie reminded me of her long absence from the screen, a regrettably short career. I also like Walken more in this movie than his other works in this era. His eccentric style fits the religious conman character far more than some of his more serious projects with Abel Ferrara. Tom Arnold is… well, Tom Arnold. Perhaps the only shame of the film is that it could have challenged the comedic actor to do new levels. For a moment, it looks like it’s going there and has the opportunity to take a dark turn but Schrader plays it safe.
Nothing in this movie is dangerous. That’s something my contemporaries fault it for. I see what they’re saying but I have nothing against this film. It just is.
Watched on Criterion Channel
MARY (2005)
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
The first half of Abel Ferrara’s religious drama is quite good. It’s the Ferrara I prefer, quiet and contemplative. The film hints to his recent work like TOMMASO or PASOLINI in the casual way that it moves between conversations and characters with no need for a traditional story. If the film had remained that way, it would be a compelling dialog on film about Christianity, faith, and dramatizing religious subjects.
Unfortunately, Abel takes the movie in a dramatic direction in the second half, injecting personal and political trauma into a narrative that didn’t need it. Suddenly, the movie feels like Ferrara’s worse work from the 1990s: over-bearing and self-serious. Even the music becomes dreadful, consuming the scenes as the characters descend into oppressive catholic guilt. What started out as an intellectual essay of a movie turns into another dreary and dull movie that doesn’t say much at all about faith or film.
Watched on OK.RU
GO GO TALES (2007)
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
Some consider GO GO TALES to be a “screwball comedy”. I wouldn’t go that far but it certainly is a change of pace for Abel Ferrara whose films are often mired in Catholic guilt and tragedy.
The story of one day/night at a strip club, the film is an ensemble piece that reminds me more of a Robert Altman movie than a Hawks or Sturges comedy. It doesn’t focus on guns and drugs like a majority of Abel’s work but it’s hardly light in tone or pace. Its vibe is often dark, cynical at best; its pace with a hypnotic score is sometimes similar to UNCUT GEMS. Similar to that film, it has a gambler as its protagonist, the club owner played by Willem Dafoe. He’s the best part of GO GO TALES but then again, how often has Dafoe not been the best part of whatever he’s in? His monologue at the end of the film is the film’s only great scene and it’s worth waiting for.
Like most of Ferrara’s work, GO GO TALES gets tedious at times but it at least escapes his worst tendencies and succeeds as a fairly entertaining yet forgotten film.
Watched on Ok.Ru.
