Based on Dino Risi's 1974 Profumo di Donna (reputedly a superior film), itself derived from Giovanni Arpino's novel 'Il buio e il miele' ('Darkness and honey'), Bo Goldman's adaptation involves dilemma of scholarship public schoolboy Chris O'Donnell and how he ends up being helped (rescued) by grizzled blind vet Al Pacino (who won the Oscar for his exquisite performance), and vice versa.
This is the film Paul Thomas Anderson spotted Philip Seymour Hoffman in, and said to himself 'I'm going to work with him'.
Very familiar and good score by Thomas Newman (reminded me a bit of that 1980 Eno album by Laraaji 'Day of Radiance'); shot by Donald Thorin in old master tones. With James Rebhorn as the headmaster, Gabrielle Anwar and a short appearance by Frances (Six Feet Under) Conroy.
Rather long at almost two and a half hours. Somewhat stretches credibility at points, but satisfying entertainment.
No comments:
Post a Comment