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The Forger (2012) Directed by Lawrence Roeck

Posted by: Frank Veenstra Posted date: 6:41 AM / comment : 3 , , , , , , , ,



This movie is taking a completely wrong approach to its story. Instead of making things lively, fun or thrilling to watch, it's being for most part a slow moving and very uninteresting movie, that is mostly taking a serious dramatic approach, which does boggle the mind.

So many directions this movie could had taken and so much they could had done with its concept but they managed to make the wrong choices, with just about everything. It makes the movie as a whole a really redundant one to watch. The movie isn't ever going anywhere good and interesting with its story and besides doesn't really seem to know what it wants to be or do exactly.

There is so much going on in this movie that felt like it was being something completely unnecessary for its story. The whole thing about the boy looking for his mother is going absolutely nowhere and the love-story between him and Hayden Panettiere felt completely unnecessary and as if it was being part of a totally different movie. Different story lines don't get handled or developed properly enough, making this movie feel like a messy and pointless one. Lots of story lines and characters could had so easily been left out and probably also should had been left so, so they movie could had focused more on its main plot line.

But what is worse is that this movie is feeling like such a lifeless one. They so easily could had spiced up things a bit more and better at times, to at least make this a somewhat entertaining enough little movie to watch. I won't call the movie boring but I only did wish some more good and interesting stuff would had happened in it at times.

It's surprising to see how many big names were involved with this movie but I guess that is what happens when you are friendly with the Eastwood's. Director Lawrence Roeck previously worked on a documentary about Clint Eastwood, which also would explain why his wife and son are in this movie. But also actors such as Alfred Molina and Lauren Bacall were involved. It's especially odd seeing Lauren Bacall in this. I mean, here we have an actress that once starred opposite to Humphrey Bogart, as his love interest, in a whole bunch of movies and now she is doing movies like this? She isn't very active in the business anymore, which makes it all the more weird that she agreed to appear in this particular movie, that in essence looks and feels like a made for TV movie. I do admit that she is still amazing looking though. I'm not just talking about her looks but more so about her vitality. She is an 87-year old woman know but she does look and move around like, let's say, an 65-year old.

And I'm also really fed up with seeing Hayden Panettiere doing these sort of roles. I honestly think she is an incredibly talented young actress, that just keeps picking the wrong type of roles, which prevent her from ever truly breaking through as an actress and it's the reason why she is always getting typecast in these type of roles. She's always playing the good, cute, happy. friendly girl, that can't stay mad or sad for 30 seconds. Guess this is an image she likes and feels comfortable with but it isn't going to get her anywhere in the serious movie business.

I also did wish that the main character of the movie would had been a more interesting and charismatic one. First of all, Josh Hutcherson doesn't exactly look very convincing as a 15-year old boy but he also isn't being really likable enough. The movie tries hard to make you sympathize for him, by inserting all kinds of dramatic stuff, with almost constantly dramatic music playing in the background. It just doesn't work that way and there really isn't enough to either like- or truly care for the movie its main character.

Not a very convincing or good or interesting enough movie to watch.

5/10

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To Have and Have Not (1944) Directed by Howard Hawks

Posted by: Frank Veenstra Posted date: 12:05 PM / comment : 0 , , , , , , , , , , ,





(Review originally written at 21 February 2009)

This is obviously a well made movie, that features some great writing, directing and acting. It however also is a bit of a slow and dragging movie in parts, especially for todays standards of course. With a little bit more of tension, action and a tad bit of humor/entertainment this movie could had really been a "Casablanca 2".

A thing most '40's movies have in common is that they start of slow and quite uninteresting as well but after about the halve way point the movie becomes suddenly so much better and at its peak reaches the level of brilliance. "To Have and Have Not" might perhaps never truly reach the level of brilliance but it is a movie that has touches of greatness to it.

Of course this movie is often being compared to "Casablanca". Not only because the both have Humphrey Bogart in the main lead but also the story and settings most definitely show similarities.

It's not necessarily the story that makes this movie great but more its dialog and handling of it by the director and actors. No it really is not Howard Hawks' best movie but for movie lovers and the fans of the genre and '40's movie-era this movie simply still is a great watch.

The movie is being carried by its main lead Humphrey Bogart who was always perfect in a role such as this one. He also meets his match in Lauren Bacall this time, who perhaps is being even tougher than him in this movie this time. It was the first time the two actors teamed up and it actually was Bacall's movie debut. She and Bogart also married one year later, after meeting during the filming of this movie. They played together in several movies during their marriage, that lasted till Bogart's early death in 1957.

Not the best or most interesting genre movie around but it has more than enough ingredients to still make this a great watch.

8/10

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Key Largo (1948) Directed by John Huston

Posted by: Frank Veenstra Posted date: 11:19 AM / comment : 0 , , , , , , , , , ,





(Review originally written at 14 January 2008)

The movie got based on a stage-play by Maxwell Anderson. The movie its story and setting really all have the typical stage-play ingredients but thank goodness the movie does not feel like a stage-play. Yet the movie knows to maintain all of the elements that make a stage-play powerful. The movie has some great written dialog and constructed story and one great cast that knows how to handle it all.

What an incredible dream cast this movie has. It's the fourth (and last) collaboration of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall and it even isn't their best but that says something more about their other movies than this one really. It's above all a perfectly cast movie, in which all of the actors suit their roles. Edward G. Robinson is of course great as the big, mean, tough gangster boss. The movie also features other acclaimed actors such as Lionel Barrymore, Claire Trevor and Marc Lawrence.

It's a movie that is mostly set at one location (a small hotel), which allowed the writers to use their creativity to make the movie interesting and intriguing to watch and gave the actors as well the opportunity to let their talent shine. The end result is also an extremely well constructed and intriguing movie to watch, from start till finish. Never a slow or dull moment here! It's of course also thanks to John Huston's professional directing that the movie and its 'simple' concept works out so well.

In my opinion this is not really a film-noir, even though it uses some of its elements. It's more a 'modern' crime thriller, that lays its emphasis mostly on the dialog and characters, that get deepened out a lot.

A fantastic John Huston classic.

10/10

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