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[Prospero]

So has anyone seen this yet?

I thought it was well worth seeing--it's a better movie than it has a right to be, though not as good as City of God. Fernando Meirelles is turning out to be a really great director.

The only thing I didn't like about the movie was the plotting of the cloak-and-dagger elements--

Spoiler

that business with the incriminating letter dragged on for so long that I no longer cared when it was finally read, e.g.

But if you look at the thriller plot as an excuse to show the influence of Western pharmaceutical companies on impoverished African nations, then it's easy to forgive that. I cared more about that than I did about the fates of the individual characters--

Spoiler

whether Tessa was cheating on her husband, etc.

Oh, yeah--the visual imagery is incredible. It looks like every frame of the film's been digitally treated in one way or another, but in relatively subtle ways--Meirelles doesn't go overboard with it. Even when I was bored with the plotting, I was blown away by the way that Meirelles chose to shoot and edit certain sequences, like

Spoiler

the scene when Justin goes back to the apartment where he and Tessa first slept together

.

So, yeah, it's not a perfect movie, but it's definitely worth seeing in a theater. I'm looking forward to Meirelles' next film.

 

[=W=]

Yeah, I agree most of that, but I probably felt more for the characters than you did.

Not as good as City of God, but well worth the price of admission.

 

[Doth Togo]

A good movie.

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I liked how they insinuated things but they weren't true. Totally screwed with the audience.

 

[brooklyngooner]

I liked it but thought the movie has the same basic flaws as the book and then some. It's also too pedantic for my tastes but that is an entirely subjective feeling obviously. They shouldn't bill it as a thriller at any rate.

 

[FnordChan]

I haven't seen it yet, but will be catching it this week. John LeCarre being adapted by the City of God director? Sign me up for some of that flavor.

FnordChan

 

[Spruce Moose]

The trailer made it look like more of an action movie. It's not. :lol

Good movie, but in the hands of a lesser director it would have been awful. Plus I no longer think Rachel Weisz is hot anymore.

 

[fart]

very cool. i'll be checking this one out this week

 

[Andy787]

Very good movie. Only thing I didn't like about it was how annoying Rachel Weisz was.

 

[demon]

Eh, she was pretty cute in the movie. I enjoyed the ass shots.

 

[Grifter]

Just caught it finally. Pretty amazing movie with good camerawork and editing. Really cynical and I have to admit that the bittersweet ending had me in tears.

Edit: had some questions I forgot to ask:

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For those who read the novel, was the truth revealed to the British media?
Rachel Weisz wasn't really pregnant, right?

 

[Macam]

Just caught this tonight and I enjoyed it far more than City of God, namely on account of the subject matter. The same fantastic camerawork reemerged here and it's probably Meirelles' single best asset; the way he colors scenes and chooses the overall quality really enhances the feel of the movie and the pace. The editing was also fantastic, as even though the movie skips around a bit, you're never really left wondering where you are, and given how dense the topic material is, that's a rather impressive feat. Overall, I wasn't as blown away by it as I was somewhat expecting to be, but I certainly enjoyed it, even if I did have to suffer through some horrendous trailers to see it.

Rent, kindly die.

 

[ocelittle]

Saw it yesterday during the TIFF...great movie!

The camera work was unbelievable...at first it came off as a little...much, but by the middle of it, the camera was a character on it's own. Fantastic stuff, a differnet way of telling a story. I dug it.

 

[videogamer]

fantastic camerawork? too much shaky-cam

--would have liked to learn what happened to the

Spoiler

Peregine (sp?) and to the different companies
--how did they find Mr. Quail (sp?) way out there on the lake? did the doctor tell?

 

[temp]

Eh, she was pretty cute in the movie. I enjoyed the ass shots.

Yuck. That naked pregnant stuff creeped me out.

 

[videogamer]

Yuck. That naked pregnant stuff creeped me out.

It's just a way to show husband and wife playing around/being comfortable with each other. Come on, when someone gets pregnant, they still take baths naked like before.