PICCADILLY (1929)

I feel the same way about Lucky Number Sleven as you do, Marj. I gave it a rave when I saw it, and I think I wrote a review. I expected to enjoy it, but it was a lot better than I even expected.

marantzo wrote:
I posted this review, mistakenly, in the Lobby. Because of the groundswell of compliments on its insightfulness and comprehensive analysis of the underlying cinematic ethos of the film, I figured that I'd better post it here in case some of the Current Filmers don't visit the Lobby.

I liked Lucky Number Slevin very much.

I’ve just seen Lucky Number Slevin, which is easily the best Guy Ritchie film since Layer Cake. Unfortunately, for Mrs Ciccione’s babysitter, he didn’t make either of them. Layer Cake was directed by Guy Ritichie’s former collaborater Matthew Vaughn and Lucky Number Slevin was written and directed by Paul McGuigan who has previous form with Gangster No. 1.

Unlike Guy Ritichie, Paul McGuigan’s credibility appears to be higher enough to attract a stellar cast, which included Morgan Freeman, Ben Kingsley, Lucy Lui, Josh Hartnett and Bruce Willis. The plot, featuring an assassin exploiting the enmity of two warring families of gangsters, is similar in this respect to Yojimbo or A Fistfull of Dollars or Last Man Standing. However, in its comic intent and flamboyant wordplay interspersed with bouts of brutal, but uninvolving violence, it is more reminiscent of Snatch and other superficial, post-Pulp Fiction wannbes than it is to the more economical and plaintive work of Akira Kurosawa or Sergio Leone.

The film starts well, and the cast, seemingly enjoying playing colourful characters unburdened by much of a backstory, give good value. Though somewhat unbelievable as Josh Hartnett’s love interest, Lucy Lui is surprisingly good and winningly attractive. Where the film falls down is in not knowing what type of film it wants to be. Despite the tension and violence, Snatch resolutely remained a fast paced comedy to the end. In its last third, Lucky Number Slevin slows to a crawl; the comedy flags and the film compensate by making the transistion to fully fledged action- thriller. The plot and set up is just too implausible and it jars too much with the comic opening. Not wishing to give too much away, the film has a couple of twists. I swayed out of the way of the ponderous left jab, but didn’t see the right uppercut coming.

I enjoy the genre though and overall found it favourable experience. 6/10.

Sorry Marj, but I do get lazy some time. In fact often. I was disappointed to find my 7 word review rather a disappointment also, if that makes you feel any better.

yambu--I'm in the age demographic you're talking about, I understood to the letter all the satire, but I too was bored by A Mighty Wind. I thought it was the weakest of the Christopher Guest movies. I rank them:

1) Waiting for Guffman
2) For Your Consideration
3) Best in Show
4) A Mighty Wind

Since Rob Reiner directed This is Spinal Tap, it doesn't qualify, but it's still the cream of the crop of mockumentaries.

What's great about Spinal Tap is that it doesn't try to force a plot onto the documentary format. There is one, sort of, but it isn't pushed. The events seem to happen naturally: just as they would in a real documentary.