Many many Academy award nominations this movie had vs. Much much rage and provocation I had while and after watching it!
While this was nominated for the best screenplay, I see that it chose the wrong genre utterly. While this was nominated for the best director, it's directed in incredibly uninspired way that made such a spiritless and atmospheric-less movie. While this was nominated for the best performance by an actor in a leading role, I see that (Jack Nicholson) was yes, into the point as a dumb loyal bulldog, but mostly ugly. And while this was nominated for the best performance for an actress in a supporting role, and won, I see that (Anjelica Huston) did fine, but not great!
The theoretical structure of the script is catchy and amusing. While telling a story about fidelity, love and honor in the world of mafia, it is a momentum of crime games and double crossings which leads to a tragic and ironic climax. However, all of that could have been done way better as a comedy, not pure crime. It has a mega black comedy potential, though it was made in a way that had nothing to do with comedy. It's like looking to ice cream and thinking of nuclear physics!
The conversations were left to lead everything obtusely. Don't be hungry for a good line or - God forbid - a slick joke out of the deeply ironic material. There is absolutely no moment portrayed in meaningfully artistic, or even enjoyably aesthetic way. Simply the image didn't help establishing an expressive shape for the events, or one eventual goal. The thing is it has no sarcastic soul, or else!
(Nicholson) was deadly monotonous. There was no scene that he did interestingly. And his voice in specific annoyed me extremely. (EddieLarge), one of the IMDb users, commented on Nicholson's acting in the movie's board so wisely by saying that: "Sticking some tissue under your top lip, and speaking like a caricature of a Gangster, does not equal good acting!". Maybe that performance could have been utilized in originally comic cosmos, but the movie's one was mute and dull.
So what's bright here?? (William Hickey)'s face and performance. He beat all the cast with his half stinking corpse, half elegant devil character that he mastered. Now nominating him for best supporting actor was something - finally - right. And the Italian music-crazed soundtrack by the always prodigious (Alex North); it was the only joking element around, rather the only sincere element to the movie's "lost" nature as genius black comedy.
I was between pish and yawn. It's like a vast desert with meanings far far away. Why this wasn't made as a comedy is a question that swallowed the whole thing. They lost a huge chance, and made instead a boring and so silly movie, which went to be awfully overrated as well. Beside the 5 academy awards I mentioned so far, it was nominated also for best costume design, best film editing, and - get ready for this - best picture!! OK, it was nominated for almost all the wrong reasons then! Wouldn't it eat you when a movie is loudly praised while you see it as usual, or less than usual?! Anyway, thank God that it didn't get nominated for best short animated film too!
While this was nominated for the best screenplay, I see that it chose the wrong genre utterly. While this was nominated for the best director, it's directed in incredibly uninspired way that made such a spiritless and atmospheric-less movie. While this was nominated for the best performance by an actor in a leading role, I see that (Jack Nicholson) was yes, into the point as a dumb loyal bulldog, but mostly ugly. And while this was nominated for the best performance for an actress in a supporting role, and won, I see that (Anjelica Huston) did fine, but not great!
The theoretical structure of the script is catchy and amusing. While telling a story about fidelity, love and honor in the world of mafia, it is a momentum of crime games and double crossings which leads to a tragic and ironic climax. However, all of that could have been done way better as a comedy, not pure crime. It has a mega black comedy potential, though it was made in a way that had nothing to do with comedy. It's like looking to ice cream and thinking of nuclear physics!
The conversations were left to lead everything obtusely. Don't be hungry for a good line or - God forbid - a slick joke out of the deeply ironic material. There is absolutely no moment portrayed in meaningfully artistic, or even enjoyably aesthetic way. Simply the image didn't help establishing an expressive shape for the events, or one eventual goal. The thing is it has no sarcastic soul, or else!
(Nicholson) was deadly monotonous. There was no scene that he did interestingly. And his voice in specific annoyed me extremely. (EddieLarge), one of the IMDb users, commented on Nicholson's acting in the movie's board so wisely by saying that: "Sticking some tissue under your top lip, and speaking like a caricature of a Gangster, does not equal good acting!". Maybe that performance could have been utilized in originally comic cosmos, but the movie's one was mute and dull.
So what's bright here?? (William Hickey)'s face and performance. He beat all the cast with his half stinking corpse, half elegant devil character that he mastered. Now nominating him for best supporting actor was something - finally - right. And the Italian music-crazed soundtrack by the always prodigious (Alex North); it was the only joking element around, rather the only sincere element to the movie's "lost" nature as genius black comedy.
I was between pish and yawn. It's like a vast desert with meanings far far away. Why this wasn't made as a comedy is a question that swallowed the whole thing. They lost a huge chance, and made instead a boring and so silly movie, which went to be awfully overrated as well. Beside the 5 academy awards I mentioned so far, it was nominated also for best costume design, best film editing, and - get ready for this - best picture!! OK, it was nominated for almost all the wrong reasons then! Wouldn't it eat you when a movie is loudly praised while you see it as usual, or less than usual?! Anyway, thank God that it didn't get nominated for best short animated film too!