This is Boorman's finest film for many years and is dominated by a memorable performance by Brendan Gleeson who has created a character who combines joviality, clownishness and warmth with moral ambiguity and a capacity for great violence. Voight supports well (although there will always be something mannered about his performances) and produces a pretty solid Irish accent. All other supporting players are excellent. Boorman directs well and delivers a very balanced portrayal of what was obviously a very complicated man capable of great charm and love as well also acts of real darkness.
Reviews
3 Reviews
Notting Hill
(1999)
Charming
25 May 1999
A charming and frequently funny film which remind you what a great comic actor Hugh Grant is, as well as how beautiful Julia Roberts can be. There is no doubting the similarities to Four Weddings (Hugh Grant effectively plays the same character minus stutter, his character also has the same bunch of loser-ish, cuddly friends) but that isn't necessarily a bad thing because it is also every bit as polished, warm and well acted as the original.
If you are a girl, go and see it. If you are a boy, take your girlfriend (it will put her in a good mood, even if it doesn't do the same to you, you old cynic).
If you are a girl, go and see it. If you are a boy, take your girlfriend (it will put her in a good mood, even if it doesn't do the same to you, you old cynic).
The Wedding Singer
(1998)
A formulaic disappointment
7 December 1998
This opening 45 minutes of this movie are very entertaining. They remind you of what an incredibly ugly and embarrassing decade the 1980s was, especially with regard to haircuts and pastel-coloured jackets, and contain a great cameo from Steve Buscemi. However the moment the plot kicks in you realise you are watching just another substandard "romantic comedy" with the usual predictable plot devices based around misunderstandings which are not believable. The last hour of this movie ceases to be funny and the ending is laughable (rather than funny). The film makers should have stayed with the funny observations and steered clear of the sub-John Hughes plotline.
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