Highly Overrated But Still Good

Best movie ever!

Absolutely Fantastic

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

Lynn Lockner (Kristin Scott Thomas), Abigail Delorean (Lily Tomlin) and Natalie Van Miter (Lauren Bacall) play canasta weekly with Carter Page III (Woody Harrelson), an openly gay escort. This is where they gossip about Washington society and politicos.Carter's father was a Senator, and Carter has transformed himself into an escort for Washington women whose husbands are otherwise occupied. Harrelson is excellent in this role.He has a special relationship with Lockner (God, I love Kirsten Scott Thomas). He takes her to meet up with someone who takes care of needs he can't. On the latest trip, he becomes embroiled in a tragedy to protect her honor.He becomes a prime suspect in the murder, but he emerges with his pride and honor intact, as more of a man than the father he could not live up to.

I, too, had my troubles with this film, but I will not rehash the plot nor evaluate the actors, all of whom were at the top of their form. What amazed me so much is that a film could trust the audience enough to let us infer what remained unsaid by the characters. This is something like a James novel in which nothing happens. Isabel (in Portrait of a Lady) sits and stares at a fire for a whole chapter. Nothing happens. Yet her fate is sealed by the time the fire has burned down. Of course, the modern movie-goer will find this boring and the film will provoke cries of 'worst film of the century.' But once I learned to trust the movie's reticence and pace, I found that I was able to follow a thought process that became a collaboration between the film- maker and myself. This is so rare in movies that it will invoke fury or yawns in those used to cheap thrills and pat plots. True, the plot in this film is almost nonexistent. But then this is not an ordinary movie.My collaboration with Schrader and Harrelson resulted in some wry reflections on my own life, on loyalty and disloyalty. And on the mistaken idea that manners and superficiality will be enough to mask "the horror and the boredom" of life.

An elegant murder mystery that fulfills on multiple levels. Harrelson is simply outstanding.Car, unlike his forebears and most who surround him, is an honorable man. He is also gay. The movie asks again and again: why does Car protect Lynn? !!!Spoilers follow!!! I propose an explanation beyond honor: unrequited love, pure and simple. Lynn is unable to accept Car's love.In an early conversation Lynn reminisces how "a young Carter Page once attempted to ask me out." Car replies "the 70's were a confusing decade: a lot of things were blurred." To Lynn their relationship is a friendship, but Car loves Lynn in the full sense of the word.Later in a scene in Car's car, he places his hand over Lynn's to comfort her, but her grief for Robbie interferes and she withdraws. The final scene wherein Car returns the photo to Lynn and she asks "Why did you stand by me?" reveals how unaware or unaccepting Lynn is of Car's love. Car gives his own explanation and we could settle for that alone. But then the camera shifts to Car's perspective as Lynn gracefully, beautifully, and in slow motion, walks out of the room and out of Car's life.

This is a film suitable for art movie lovers as one has to watch this movie with an open mind; this film cannot be watched once, one as the viewer will be totally lost! The film had a stunning soundtrack with excellent choices of synths and melodies which create a slow but mysterious atmosphere which indicates to the viewer that it will take time for them to know what is going on. And there are suspenseful shots so well composed that it will make one jump out of their seat and will keep one in suspense. Together, with the choice of music and cinematography, this film creates a mysterious environment which has crime which can happen any time any place. And again, something for art movie fans.