This is a subtle, real portrait of confused teenagers, the hidden lives of a group of people, and a town dying, with everyone going to the city. Its influence on more recent movies, such as American Beauty and Ghost World, is quite obvious. It's ahead off its time, because it is brave enough to criticize society and to show us the lives of a group of people, just as they are, without sugar-coating them and not being afraid of making them sometimes unlikeable, just the way people are. The screenplay is very good. The characters are realistic and well written, and their attitudes and actions are always where they should be. The pace is just right; it's a slow movie, but always entertaining and thought provoking. The dialogs are great, and they always have double meaning, so you really have to be focused on them to get to the core of their meaning. The fact that the characters go to the movies and that's really important makes this beautiful for any movie buff. Besides, the end of the picture show, is, too, the end of an era, the death of a town.
The acting is truly amazing, by just everyone. A look, a movement, the accents, the timing and delivery are just brilliant. all the actors were perfectly cast. Timothy Bottoms underplays a sensitive, shy character, but it works and makes the movie and his character not over the top. You can feel his pain, but in a subtle, still intense, way. Jeff Bridges makes an unlikeable character have a certain grace and you can root for him. He has a good timing and his feelings are real. Cybbil Shepherd has the most amazing body language you can get. She's seductive, sweet, mean, and most of all confused, and you can see all this just by looking at her. It's a complex character, and Shepherd has just the right look and freshness for the part. You can understand her character, even if you don't particularly like her. Cloris Leachman is incredibly expressive; her character is depressed and unhappy, and she's the nicest person. She's just so eager to be loved, and her movements show it all. Ellen Burstyn is very good, her character's in a point of her life in which she's stuck, without knowing how. Ben Johnson has some good delivery and you root for his character, but it's not that great.
The direction is simple, focusing on the actors, but still brilliant. The ending, so full of meaning, Cybill Shepherd shots, the large shots, languid and beautiful, the close shots, emotional and touching and the use of light and dark. The black and white makes this nostalgic and beautiful. Overall, really impressive; ahead of its time, tackling important issues and technically impressive. It's a true classic.
The acting is truly amazing, by just everyone. A look, a movement, the accents, the timing and delivery are just brilliant. all the actors were perfectly cast. Timothy Bottoms underplays a sensitive, shy character, but it works and makes the movie and his character not over the top. You can feel his pain, but in a subtle, still intense, way. Jeff Bridges makes an unlikeable character have a certain grace and you can root for him. He has a good timing and his feelings are real. Cybbil Shepherd has the most amazing body language you can get. She's seductive, sweet, mean, and most of all confused, and you can see all this just by looking at her. It's a complex character, and Shepherd has just the right look and freshness for the part. You can understand her character, even if you don't particularly like her. Cloris Leachman is incredibly expressive; her character is depressed and unhappy, and she's the nicest person. She's just so eager to be loved, and her movements show it all. Ellen Burstyn is very good, her character's in a point of her life in which she's stuck, without knowing how. Ben Johnson has some good delivery and you root for his character, but it's not that great.
The direction is simple, focusing on the actors, but still brilliant. The ending, so full of meaning, Cybill Shepherd shots, the large shots, languid and beautiful, the close shots, emotional and touching and the use of light and dark. The black and white makes this nostalgic and beautiful. Overall, really impressive; ahead of its time, tackling important issues and technically impressive. It's a true classic.