04 Mar 2008
Well no-one who reads this blog expects me to be conventional, but I was a surprised to find myself sitting outside of this film.
I was once told and have since believed that a true test of whether a film or a play works, is if you forget you are in a theatre and you are transported into the world and along the journey of the play or film you are watching. So I’ve always felt it’s a sign that something isn’t working when you never feel you’ve left your seat. Even more obvious is that lovely feeling when you leave the venue and think “goodness, it’s London on a Monday night” when for the last couple of hours you’ve imagined you’re in America in 1892. Sadly this wasn’t the case last night. What’s more – and I am really sorry for being contrary – I didn’t really believe DDLewis. I was always aware I was watching someone performing. A very fine performance, but a performance nevertheless. Worse still, I wondered if a different actor would have been more suited to the role.
For my money, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN is certainly more gripping and has more convincing and interesting performances within it. Despite the fact that I still don’t know what NO COUNTRY was all about! (Interestingly, I read an extract from Cormac’s book and I reckon this mystery is probably solved by reading the book! So that’s me out!)
I am now even more certain that I shouldn’t go and see ATONEMENT!