Paul Newman, may he rest in peace, will always remain a symbol of virility and strength in cinema history. Even in the twilight of his career, in roles such as Sully, he shows what an actor is capable of if he takes care of himself. Physically, but also mentally, Newman embodies all the elements most actors could only hope to obtain at such a late stage. He commands nearly every scene he is in, bringing with him a level of gravitas and realism which without this story could not work.
Indeed, it still may not. Adapted from a novel by Richard Russso, director Robert Benton is certainly capable of breathing life into a vast sect of quirky, independent characters who at the very least are a little memorable. After all, he did co-write Bonnie and Clyde (which does not escape this movie without a sly reference). Yet, throughout Benton seems confused or at least unsure as to what exactly he wants to say with these characters. Setting up much of the small town of North Bath, New York takes very little time. The real challenge is where to take them. The result, I am afraid, leaves much to be desired, unless of course one is keen on various plot threads not far beyond the level of a sitcom or hour-long drama on TV. By the end, most have reached their predictable conclusions all to the dissatisfaction of us. It's not that the end is completely unjustified; it's just that one would like more.
Technically, Benton remains on the soft side of filmmaking. His camera work is minimal, the cinematography is rather lax, and the town itself looks like a series of studio backdrops although it was filmed on location. What is most annoying, though, is Howard Shore's oppressive and sticky score, weighing down nearly every scene, causing one to think we are seeing a series of climaxes when in fact they are simply transitions. Besides Newman, the only other truly moving performance is, surprisingly, Melanie Griffith as the attractive wife of Lothario Bruce Willis, who flirts with Newman yet lacks any real confidence to use him to get back at her husband. Throwing in a subplot regarding Newman's attempts to re-connect with his son, stay vital in the community, get ahead and remain out of prison, what we're left with is a perfectly mediocre and innocuous representation of small-town, blue-collar life in northern New York.
Indeed, it still may not. Adapted from a novel by Richard Russso, director Robert Benton is certainly capable of breathing life into a vast sect of quirky, independent characters who at the very least are a little memorable. After all, he did co-write Bonnie and Clyde (which does not escape this movie without a sly reference). Yet, throughout Benton seems confused or at least unsure as to what exactly he wants to say with these characters. Setting up much of the small town of North Bath, New York takes very little time. The real challenge is where to take them. The result, I am afraid, leaves much to be desired, unless of course one is keen on various plot threads not far beyond the level of a sitcom or hour-long drama on TV. By the end, most have reached their predictable conclusions all to the dissatisfaction of us. It's not that the end is completely unjustified; it's just that one would like more.
Technically, Benton remains on the soft side of filmmaking. His camera work is minimal, the cinematography is rather lax, and the town itself looks like a series of studio backdrops although it was filmed on location. What is most annoying, though, is Howard Shore's oppressive and sticky score, weighing down nearly every scene, causing one to think we are seeing a series of climaxes when in fact they are simply transitions. Besides Newman, the only other truly moving performance is, surprisingly, Melanie Griffith as the attractive wife of Lothario Bruce Willis, who flirts with Newman yet lacks any real confidence to use him to get back at her husband. Throwing in a subplot regarding Newman's attempts to re-connect with his son, stay vital in the community, get ahead and remain out of prison, what we're left with is a perfectly mediocre and innocuous representation of small-town, blue-collar life in northern New York.