Day's Awards Season 2008 Watch List

I'm a big fan of Fernando Meirelles, so even though I wasn't quite sure what to make of the premise for this film, I decided that I would trust him and his vision. If he saw something interesting in it, there must be something there. Well, there are a number of somethings here, but not nearly enough to make a story. In many ways, it's a more logical, sensical, substantial cousin of "The Happening". But, while that film tries to fill in the emptiness of it's plot with shock value, this film fills it with visual style and authentic human performances. I appreciate the difference, but, in the end, there's really no substance here. It doesn't really go anywhere, and the only reason I tolerate it is because I grew to love the characters who were imprisoned in this story. There were global decisions being made in this film that seemed to imply a much larger, more sinister story, but it's never explored. For such a great cast, it was really a waste.

Honestly, I cannot think of a movie by Danny Boyle that I've seen that I haven't liked, and this is absolutely no exception. Aside from the deceptively complex writing and the totally authentic performances, the thing that stands out the most for me is that this film really made me feel like I'd lived inside India, in all of it's modern-day Dickensian glory. This is the first movie I've seen that really gave me a sense of both the sheer scale of the crushing abject poverty, as well as the ingenuity, desperation, and adaptability of those who struggle to navigate it as best they can. Visually, it's full, rich, and kinetic. But, of course, it's the story of undying love at it's core that makes it so satisfying in the end.

I love spy movies, because the good ones are inevitably a good mix of both action and intelligent intrigue, subterfuge, and gamesmanship. But, let's be honest, as much as I like them, Jason Bourne, James Bond, Jack Bauer, Ethan Hunt - they all have much more in common with comic-book superheroes than with actual spies. This is one of those rare spy thrillers that have about as much really good action but still feels like a completely authentic slice of reality. While the characters may be fictional, they operate in a world that is completely believable as our own, and I think a lot of credit needs to go to David Ignatius' original novel and the quality of William Monahan's adaptation. And, of course, Ridley does what he does - he builds a world you can believe in and inhabit. I also cannot say enough about Mark Strong's performance. He's completely unrecognizable from his turn in "Syriana" and he steals every scene he's in with quiet, elegant, lethal power. My only complaint is that I didn't completely buy that Russell Crowe's character was a reckless and operationally stupid as he sometimes appeared to be. I wanted a better sense of his own desperation and the pressure he was under to justify his actions, otherwise, he just looks like an arrogant jughead. Perhaps that's the point, but I think there's a better choice to be made. Otherwise, I love it. Highly recommended.