Movies

Last week was marked by movies that I really wanted to see but ended up not being very satisfied with. And, of course, I drug Kevin along with me. Note- spoilers lurk here.

On Monday Kevin called me at work to suggest we could see "The Visitor" at 6:30 in the city. (It was "cheap night" at the Dendy.) I had seen a preview for this movie in April when I was home and had been eager for it to make its way to Au. When I described the film to Kevin, he wasn't overly impressed, but a check on Rotten Tomatoes suggested that it was critically well received. So, his interest was piqued.

It looked much more upbeat on the trailer... lonely widower rediscovers friendship and emotion and learns to play the drums. Yeah, sure, it is obvious on the trailer that his friend, Terak, is detained by immigration and that he's illegal and ... that probably isn't good. I just never expected we'd give this man his heart back to rip it out, again.

Plus, the tempo was sluggish for a story built around African drumming. Pick up the beat!

"The Visitor" was directed by Thomas McCarthy who did "The Station Agent", another story about a lonely, isolated man and friendship. Kevin and I both really liked "The Station Agent". It was not so depressing and, as Kevin said this morning on the train, "The Station Agent" was shorter...

which we decided was a witless witticism.

Movie 2: "Heaven's Prisoners" - Since I embarked on my Dave Robicheaux adventure, I learned that there are two Robicheaux movies: "In the Electric Mist" with Tommy Lee Jones has yet to be released and "Heaven's Prisoners" with Alec Baldwin. Kevin generously not only found "HP" for me but sat down and watched it last night with me...even though Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a whopping 11% fresh!

With that kind of rating, you don't expect much. It wasn't like going to see "I Want to Believe" where being a fan increased one's appreciation. In particular, I must admit that there was nothing particularly stirring about Dave Robicheaux as embodied by Mr. Baldwin. (The movie did suggest to me just why people keep calling Dave "Streak"...though that was just an inference of mine and I could be wrong. I'm thinking I might learn more from book 1: "Neon Rain".) Dave drunk and despairing is not attractive to watch. (Wonder why it doesn't bother me so much when I'm reading?)

And, where was Clete Purcel??? (I don't think he's included in the next film, either. Maybe his character isn't introduced yet in the series- though they DID talk about "his partner" when he was with the NOPD.)