Unforgiven
I will admit that I saw this movie when it came out at a drive in (yes they still have those) and thought it sucked. I did not want it to win the Oscar and could not understand what people liked about it. So after years of bagging on this movie I decided to get the DVD and give it another spin. Ok so I was wrong. Damn, I hate that. This was an excellent film. It was nominated in a pretty good year with its main competition being the Crying Game and Howard's End. Tough call but a good winner.
for those who have not seen it it is a western where the hero is a reformed murderer and drunk. I call him a quitter but that is just me. The story is really the apex of a three part story however the first and third part are never shown. They are told in scrolling form at the beginning and end of the film. I found this to be very effective and interesting construct. The films three main characters are Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, and Gene Hackman. Clint Eastwood, who I typically don't like, did a great job playing the beaten down ex-criminal who gets roped back into his former life.
Morgan Freeman was perfectly cast as Clint's former partner and almost an anti-conscience. Rather than trying to keep Clint on the new path of his life he keeps trying to get him to be with hookers and drink. I think that this was an attempt by the character to re-capture his youth which falls apart when he wounds one of the cowboys they are there to kill. He realizes the folly of his youth and tries to go back home. In an attempt to prove you can't go home again he is captured, beaten and killed.
The least complex and therefore less interesting character was Gene Hackman's. Basically the cop gone bad which Gene plays just like he has in all his movies. Has ever not played some sort of hard ass. The guy has one role and keeps playing it over and over. I hate that. This is why I respect actors like Ed Norton and Tom Hanks... they try different roles and are willing to fails. Anyway...
Overall a good movie and worth the rental.
Rating scale: I rate movie on what would I pay to see them. Did I mention I am poor. So here is the scale:
F - Full price
M - matinee
V - Would rent it
C - Wait till on Cable
D - Don't waste your time
Rating - F - Well worth full price at a theater.
for those who have not seen it it is a western where the hero is a reformed murderer and drunk. I call him a quitter but that is just me. The story is really the apex of a three part story however the first and third part are never shown. They are told in scrolling form at the beginning and end of the film. I found this to be very effective and interesting construct. The films three main characters are Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, and Gene Hackman. Clint Eastwood, who I typically don't like, did a great job playing the beaten down ex-criminal who gets roped back into his former life.
Morgan Freeman was perfectly cast as Clint's former partner and almost an anti-conscience. Rather than trying to keep Clint on the new path of his life he keeps trying to get him to be with hookers and drink. I think that this was an attempt by the character to re-capture his youth which falls apart when he wounds one of the cowboys they are there to kill. He realizes the folly of his youth and tries to go back home. In an attempt to prove you can't go home again he is captured, beaten and killed.
The least complex and therefore less interesting character was Gene Hackman's. Basically the cop gone bad which Gene plays just like he has in all his movies. Has ever not played some sort of hard ass. The guy has one role and keeps playing it over and over. I hate that. This is why I respect actors like Ed Norton and Tom Hanks... they try different roles and are willing to fails. Anyway...
Overall a good movie and worth the rental.
Rating scale: I rate movie on what would I pay to see them. Did I mention I am poor. So here is the scale:
F - Full price
M - matinee
V - Would rent it
C - Wait till on Cable
D - Don't waste your time
Rating - F - Well worth full price at a theater.
1 Comments:
I am going to make you a tiki rating system too...
tiki tiki tiki
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