Spike Lee goes mainstream with Homerun
| Overall Grade: | A- |
| Story: | A |
| Acting: | B+ |
| Direction: | A- |
| Visuals: | A- |
Clever. It seems like everyone is trying to be more clever than the next guy these days. In films, in crime, heck even in these reviews. But there is a nuance to clever that either works or it doesn't. This film was excellent in a few ways- the dialog was both smart and actually comedic. Certainly not what you expect from a film trying to be a real "who-dun-it".. or maybe more of a "what-did-they-do-to-it"... Everything is supposed to be a mystery about the plot, its characters, and even the obvious things are only charades to cover for more charades. But all of this strangely works. The film is more about witty dialog and hopes that a mainstream plot will bring in big crowds for offbeat directory, Lee. But even the plot turns out to be a smokescreen to an almost silly dialog that is intentionally biting the movie-going hand that feeds it. One ironic or satirical statement after another, hidden beneath cutish jokes and yet a seemingly serious criminal film, all only to reveal that people in power are ultimately evil tyrrants who could only have gotten their with help from more evil friends.
It's still great film though. The acting by Clive Owen is sparkling. Denzel Washington has the best lines, ripped with intellegence, charm and biting, and very funny, humor. Washington is not only set up as the star here, but he underplays it perfectly, to endear his character a perfect balance of humanity and hero. Jodie Foster, while one of my favorites looks almost overwhelmed by the task she is given. She looks unconvincing as a New York power broker who can call favors on every judge and politician she might need to get her next "assignment" done. There is no gleaming pose, stature or intensity in her actions, not just out of "action flick" repetoire, but from her frightened, frantic look-closet where she is most at home in film. Here is a high powered social and political agent, she looked powerless and like she is just acting for the check.
The movie, though, has such a fun biting dialog and clever plot, that it works in every scene, except when Foster is on camera, where the credibility drops about 3 notches.
Spike Lee did a great job on this film. The camera angles where easily mainstream, yet edgy. The scenes where short, but not empty. And the audience wasn't left with one esoteric reference after another, trying to figure out what everything "really" means. It was straight up, but still smart. Even the music was punch perfect. In fact, the opening and closing tracks are so mezermizing you will stop leaving the theatre and listen to the groove of "Chaiyya Chaiyya Bollywood Joint" as Performed by Sukhwinder Singh, Sapna Awasthi featuring Panjabi MC.
This movie would have gotten and A, if it were not for Foster's weak, unconvincing performance. Everything else was executed like the bank robbery in the film. But don't think this is one for the kids. No one under 16 is good for this film as the language is purposefully agressive to the point of overrun with profanity, to try to make the point of the film being "grit-ready" meets "mainstream film". If you are offended by language excessively profane, you will not like this film. Everything else, is excellent work.