After noticing Chris Menges' natural lighting and Jay Cassidy's notable editing style, I got lost in the acting - Penn is obviously a great actors' director. Nicholson gives an outstanding performance which was overlooked by the awards panels - it wasn't one of his nine Oscar nominations or three wins, but should have been. Penn - perhaps referencing M in the balloon moment - is no slouch either at cranking up inexorable tension (it's like being magnetised to a bad dream) as various possible murderers threaten the life of his girlfriend's daughter, who he knowingly uses as bait and thus blows his whole future relationship.
The French knew a good thing though and nominated Penn for the Palme D'Or.
Great cast: Aaron Eckhardt, Sam Shepherd, Vanessa Redgrave, Helen Mirren, Harry Dean Stanton, Benicio del Toro (doing a Terry Gilliam!), Patricia Clarkson, Mickey Rourke; and Robin Wright and Pauline Roberts as the mother and daughter.
Based on the novel by Swiss dramatist Friedrich Dürrenmatt and written by Jerzy and Mary-Olsen Kromolowski.
No comments:
Post a Comment