Short Review: It’s like a finely crafted yacht that is completely rudderless.


If you can manage to force yourself through the seemingly endless opening credit sequence, you may find a movie you will enjoy. The opening credits drag along over images of sloped shouldered, heavy-eyed workers shuffling to work. This is an obvious nod to Fritz Lang’s Metropolis. Except the opening sequence goes on longer than Fritz Lang’s masterpiece. Seriously, the opening sequence is so long it has its own table of contents on the DVD.

The film itself is at once very well done, but also without direction or focus. Writer/Director John Patrick Shanley has a flair for character and dialog. He particularly has crafted some brilliant minor characters to populate his world in this movie. From the luggage salesman to Joe’s limo driver Marhsall, Shanley shows that he is a gifted writer. The issue is that Shanley doesn't expend any of his talent on developing the main character Joe. It is clear that Joe is to be a hollow shell of a man. Hollow shells aren’t great leads.

Usually Tom Hanks is vibrant, but here he seems to sleepwalk through his role as Joe. Giving Hanks this role is like having a professional chef prepare toast. The other actors in the film, Meg Ryan (who manages three roles), Dan Hedaya and Lloyd Bridges (amongst others) all dig into their rich roles. Hanks appears lost.

The story itself is an existentialist yarn without any serious advice or wisdom to offer in the end. Perhaps that is why the main character is so thin. Without a clear mission or direction, there is nothing driving Joe. The opinion of the film seems to be that whatever happens, happens – give yourself to the doom that awaits you and see if you can scratch out some enjoyment on the way down. Well, if nothing really matters, then neither does this film.


Related Reviews:
Tom Hanks movies
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Toy Story (1995)


Other Critic's Reviews:
J&C'S Movie Reviews
eFilmCritic



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Labels: Amanda Plummer, Dan Hedaya, film, Lloyd Bridges, Meg Ryan, movie review, Ossie Davis, Robert Stack, Tom Hanks