Purple Violets, Reprise, Married Life
Purple Violets
[ 4 stars out of 4 ]
It’s funny because I’ve always seen Selma Blair as the naive girl who Sarah Michelle Gellar wanted to destroy in “Cruel Intentions” regardless of how many films I’ve seen her star in. This one is the first starring role that convinced me that Blair can be a great actress. I completely bought the quirks that comes along with her character, the things she’s going through, and where she could possibly be heading. Once this film, directed by the always engrossing Edward Burns, started I couldn’t stop watching it because all the actors have a certain energy that made me want to know more. Patrick Wilson gives another great performance as the romantic writer happens to have a certain boyish look but stuck in a relationship with someone who’s extremely emotionally unstable (played by Elizabeth Reaser). Reaser’s massive bursts of anger made me laugh out loud but at the same time felt sorry for Wilson because he appeared to be somewhat emasculated in those scenes. I’ve always loved Debra Messing from “Will & Grace” and her other films like “The Wedding Date,” but I’ve never seen her so scathing as she was in this little gem of a picture. I enjoyed the little side story between Messing and Burns because they are so opposite in personalities that it was interesting to see them interact. This is undoubtedly a romantic comedy but as I was watching it, I felt like it was a tier higher than that. The film’s core is about deeply wounded thirtysomethings who want to achieve happiness but cannot quite get there because they are not happy with themselves. I was really invested with the characters and more than half of the time, I wish I knew these people not only to offer them advice but also learn from them. This movie reminded me of high school when I had all the time in the world to just… write. It made me wish that there were more hours in the day so I could just sit down even for just an hour or two to write about anything and everything. I thought this film was funny and sad with just the right pacing, but above all, it’s honest like a good piece of literature.
Reprise (2006)
[ 3 stars out of 4 ]
I expected character depth from this film but I didn’t expect for it to look and feel low-key. Luckily, I’ve grown to appreciate low-key pictures over the years and I found it beautiful in “Reprise.” A fellow critic on Netflix claims that this movie is more for advance foreign film students because, on top of the language barrier (the whole film is spoken in Norwegian), it’s extremely difficult to relate to the characters. I disagree because even though the characters may seem like literary snobs on the outside (pretty much all they do is hang out with friends, hang out with their girlfriends and write), something deep inside them is relatable. Even though they feel jubilant whenever they experience success and get jealous when someone else is in the spotlight, the group of friends ultimately care for one another. I was impressed with Anders Danielsen Lie (who plays Phillip) and Espen Klouman-Høiner (who plays Erik) because I completely believed that they built a true friendship that started when they were children. They push each other to go on, whether it comes to writing or living life, to keep going… but at the same time they hinder each other despite their best intentions. I found the bleak look of the film to be thoroughly engaging because it added to the realism of the picture. Joachim Trier, the director, carefully molded the characters but still had time to enhance the overall feel of the film by adding voice overs and scenes that might have or could have happened. This may not be the most accessible film but what it has going for it are strong characterization and a solid medium that show the hurdles that artistic people in their twenties might face.
Married Life (2007)
[ 2 stars out of 4 ]
This picture reminded me a whole lot of “Margot at the Wedding” because they are both dark comedies with unrealized potential. There were definitely some exciting parts, such as when Chris Cooper decides and acts upon killing Patricia Clarkson, but at the same time the movie is slowed down by the romance between Pierce Brosnan and Rachel McAdams. I almost hate saying that this film is mediocre because the acting here is solid and multilayered, especially from McAdams. She lights up the screen whenever she’s in a scene which reminded me of movie stars from the 1950′s. I think I would’ve cared more about the characters if the connections between them are a lot stronger. Instead, I wanted some of the characters to suffer because of their selfishness and stupidity. I admired the film’s fusion of marriage drama and noir, which definitely summons Woody Allen’s “Match Point” but a much weaker version. I did like the film’s theme of whether it’s right to build a life of happiness on someone else’s misery. Like a well-writter paper, there were several scenes that support each side. I think if this film would’ve pushed itself a bit further like toning down the barely explored romantic angle between Brosnan and McAdams, this would have been a leaner and meaner picture. I also would’ve liked to see the true strength of Brosnan and Cooper’s friendship. Overall, this is a slow picture but isn’t necessarily a bad one. I’d recommend it to those who are craving something a little different but still somewhat mainstream.
