Post by Quorthon on Mar 27, 2006 9:56:30 GMT -5
The Libertine
Drama
2004
Color
MPAA Rating: R
Directed by: Stephen Jeffreys
USA
Think Amadeus combined with Quills, and triple the grittiness. You then have The Libertine. A definite high point for Johnny Depp, and, a marked return to the gritty, more adult-themed, independent-style films we're all used to seeing him in.
This film takes place in merry old England circa 1660 under the reign of one of the King Charles. Charles II, I believe. Johnny Depp plays John Williams, who is a member of the royal family, otherwise known as Count Rochester, who has a passion for women, wine, and weirdness. He's also terribly obsessed with the theater. And, as is the way with dramatic films of this nature, we are witness to his greatest achievment and his downfall.
Here’s the breakdown:
The Good:
--Brilliant acting, especially, of course, from Depp. Wildly different from his last few films (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Pirates of the Caribbean, Corpse Bride, even Secret Window).
--Excellent cinematography and atmosphere. London is foggy, the imagery is gritty, the film is grainy. This whole movie is a stark contrast to what Hollywood's been dishing out lately.
--Great characters and some genuine humor here and there.
--Brilliant, detailed sets and backgrounds. You'd be hard-pressed to see any digital work or Computer Graphics in this film.
--Excellent dialog. Quickly and cleverly delivered.
--Quite a bit of sexuality expressed throughout the film, the movie isn't afraid to push the envelope in a day and age when even our R-rated films seem occasionally weak, shallow, or even gutless.
--An overall stronger film than Quills, which, as I said, has a lot in common with this film. Much darker, and a bit classier.
--Fantastic make-up effects. You really have to see Malkovich's profile to notice what they did to his nose. He's as entertaining as ever.
--Some excellent, genuine surprises.
Didn't Hurt It, Didn't Help It:
--The film is awash with foul language and sexual innuendos. It won't be for everyone. Think "Kinsey" sans the cold logic of science; in place, there is stark sexuality. For a lot of people, this will only enhance the movie, but for others, it'll likely be a turn-off.
--Mild violence--not really the point of the film.
--Mild nudity.
The Bad:
--Will be too dark, or difficult to understand for the casual movie-goer. The speech and dialog is British, and fairly well suited (at least from what I know) to 1660 England. Johnny Depp and John Malkovich's accents are, however, much lighter than those of the authentic British actors. This doesn't really detract from their overall acting.
--Johnny Depp has just made some more "family" oriented films (Pirates/Charlie/Corpse Bride, etc.), and some people who became familiar with him via those films will be taken aback by what they see here. This is an extreme contrast to those much friendlier films.
The Ugly:
--If I tell you, it'd ruin the movie!
Memorable Scene:
--The film's whole last half hour is fantastic.
Acting: 10/10
Story: 9/10
Atmosphere: 10/10
Cinematography: 10/10
Character Development: 9/10
Special Effects/Make-up: 9/10
Nudity/Sexuality: 9/10 (A lot of sexual dialog, some nudity, a couple sex scenes)
Violence: 3/10
Gore: 3/10 (Only a little bit of grossness)
Dialog: 10/10
Music: 9/10
Direction: 10/10
Cheesiness: 1/10
Crappiness: 0/10
Overall: 9/10
I personally highly recommend this film. It's entertaining story and characters, and rampant sexuality, will be readily enjoyed by many people. But, that dialog and excessive sexuality, coupled with the dank atmosphere may also be what turns some people away from this one. An excellent film overall.
Drama
2004
Color
MPAA Rating: R
Directed by: Stephen Jeffreys
USA
Think Amadeus combined with Quills, and triple the grittiness. You then have The Libertine. A definite high point for Johnny Depp, and, a marked return to the gritty, more adult-themed, independent-style films we're all used to seeing him in.
This film takes place in merry old England circa 1660 under the reign of one of the King Charles. Charles II, I believe. Johnny Depp plays John Williams, who is a member of the royal family, otherwise known as Count Rochester, who has a passion for women, wine, and weirdness. He's also terribly obsessed with the theater. And, as is the way with dramatic films of this nature, we are witness to his greatest achievment and his downfall.
Here’s the breakdown:
The Good:
--Brilliant acting, especially, of course, from Depp. Wildly different from his last few films (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Pirates of the Caribbean, Corpse Bride, even Secret Window).
--Excellent cinematography and atmosphere. London is foggy, the imagery is gritty, the film is grainy. This whole movie is a stark contrast to what Hollywood's been dishing out lately.
--Great characters and some genuine humor here and there.
--Brilliant, detailed sets and backgrounds. You'd be hard-pressed to see any digital work or Computer Graphics in this film.
--Excellent dialog. Quickly and cleverly delivered.
--Quite a bit of sexuality expressed throughout the film, the movie isn't afraid to push the envelope in a day and age when even our R-rated films seem occasionally weak, shallow, or even gutless.
--An overall stronger film than Quills, which, as I said, has a lot in common with this film. Much darker, and a bit classier.
--Fantastic make-up effects. You really have to see Malkovich's profile to notice what they did to his nose. He's as entertaining as ever.
--Some excellent, genuine surprises.
Didn't Hurt It, Didn't Help It:
--The film is awash with foul language and sexual innuendos. It won't be for everyone. Think "Kinsey" sans the cold logic of science; in place, there is stark sexuality. For a lot of people, this will only enhance the movie, but for others, it'll likely be a turn-off.
--Mild violence--not really the point of the film.
--Mild nudity.
The Bad:
--Will be too dark, or difficult to understand for the casual movie-goer. The speech and dialog is British, and fairly well suited (at least from what I know) to 1660 England. Johnny Depp and John Malkovich's accents are, however, much lighter than those of the authentic British actors. This doesn't really detract from their overall acting.
--Johnny Depp has just made some more "family" oriented films (Pirates/Charlie/Corpse Bride, etc.), and some people who became familiar with him via those films will be taken aback by what they see here. This is an extreme contrast to those much friendlier films.
The Ugly:
--If I tell you, it'd ruin the movie!
Memorable Scene:
--The film's whole last half hour is fantastic.
Acting: 10/10
Story: 9/10
Atmosphere: 10/10
Cinematography: 10/10
Character Development: 9/10
Special Effects/Make-up: 9/10
Nudity/Sexuality: 9/10 (A lot of sexual dialog, some nudity, a couple sex scenes)
Violence: 3/10
Gore: 3/10 (Only a little bit of grossness)
Dialog: 10/10
Music: 9/10
Direction: 10/10
Cheesiness: 1/10
Crappiness: 0/10
Overall: 9/10
I personally highly recommend this film. It's entertaining story and characters, and rampant sexuality, will be readily enjoyed by many people. But, that dialog and excessive sexuality, coupled with the dank atmosphere may also be what turns some people away from this one. An excellent film overall.
