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Last night, I watched 2014's Belgian, cat & mouse, cop thriller, The Treatment (De Behandeling). I've seen about 1/2-dozen Belgian films over the past few years & they are highly skilled at intelligent, fast paced thrillers & brilliant acting.
The pacing & cinematography are fantastic... there's no long buildup before the story begins... it moves along quite nicely from the opening scenes... & several scenes were creepily thrilling in an eerie sense. However, although the plot is different, the story does revolve around graphic images & horrifying shocking & depressing subject matter... child abuse/abduction. This is a movie only for the strongest of the strong... it is very hard to stomach. And, some of the scenes, implied & otherwise, were a bit too graphic for me. In fact, had I not been staying up all night anyway, I'd never have watched this before bedtime & would have turned it off 1/4 of the way in.
The lead actor is brilliant, keeping an immensely heightened level of stress & fear to the point that honestly, coupled with the depravity of the subject matter, was utterly exhausting. It's hard to take your eyes off him, as his emotions aren't on his sleeve, they're 2-ft in front of him. He is amazing & I'd love to see him in other films. But, I was completely drained, mainly at my disgust for humanity, by the end of the film. I know the majority of people are not like any of these creatures... but, when surrounded by depravity for 2-1/2 hrs, it is hard to shake off.
On the merit of the acting, directing, blue-toned photography & story line... it deserves 9.5* out of 10.
Because the graphic nature renders it almost unwatchable... think a more graphic blend of 8MM with Nick Cage & HBO's True Detective... I'd have to give it 3* out of 10 because I don't think most can, should or could watch it & feel okay afterwards. It's left me in a terrible funk all day today.
Great movie, but very difficult to watch.
The DVD needs an 'Enter at your own risk' disclaimer.
Dutch with English subtitles.
Just awful, I should have watched reruns of Everyone Loves Raymond!
Mickey Rourke looks like he is inflated on steroids and spends a good part of the movie moving along in a crouch. Dialogue? There is no dialogue. The only reason I can imagine for watching this is to count the Die Hard rip offs.
I've never seen a Steve McQueen movie, Oec (I know...), but recently was thinking I'd like to see one of his movies. Perhaps you can recommend one to get me started? What, in your opinion, would be the quintessential McQ, don't-miss flick? (Just looked him up... The Great Escape?)
I watched a movie that I'd normally skip, because I'm not a big fan of Melissa McCarthy (she's kind of a 1-trick actress, imho... we get it, you're heavyset & coarse, can cuss up a storm & all the 'jokes' revolve around those points), but decided to give it a try as Bill Murray is the lead & I appreciate his wry sense of humor, quiet acting & ability to play curmudgeonly with a great deal of likeability.
St. Vincent is a sometimes silly, predictable, harmless comedy-drama. I realize one must suspend belief when watching some flicks, but, all I kept thinking about was what an inept mother Melissa's character is... for me, Melissa never conjures up sympathy & likeability the way Bill does & that detracted from my caring about her character's plight. I felt all her & her son's problems were due to her intense lack of priority. The little boy, who plays her son saved the movie, plays off Murray very nicely, has got great comic timing & is a wonderful, young actor. Besides, cute, quirky kids have a soft spot in my heart.
And, although I normally really like Naomi Watts, I just didn't warm up to her in this part... I'm unsure if it were her choices with character & accent or the part as it's written, specifically. Maybe this is why actors say playing comedy is harder than drama... it's far too easy to come off as unintended & I appreciate Naomi more as a dramatic actress... I didn't care for her in another comedic role or 2 I've seen... most specifically, the stunningly awful 'I Heart Huckabees'.
It was okay, nothing brilliant, with a hokey Hollywood ending that would have been sent over the edge had Bill been any less an actor. See it if in the mood for a story with drama that's cut with both dark & silly comedy... & if you like either Bill or Melissa. If you're not keen on at least one of those leads, you probably won't enjoy it at all.
5.5* out of 10.
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(I know...), but recently was thinking I'd like to see one of his movies. Perhaps you can recommend one to get me started? What, in your opinion, would be the quintessential McQ, don't-miss flick? 