The Life of David Gale
Directed By Alan Parker
Featuring: Kevin Spacey, Laura Linney, Kate Winslet, and Gabriel Mann
IMDb
Now, contrary to the title, I am not going to be saying that this is the greatest film ever made. It isn't. It's a damn good one. What I mean by the title, (and I suppose Apocalypse Now would also fit here) is that film frequently fails to meet up to the full potential of the genre, and this film does not. Fail, I mean. The basic story of the film is that a death penalty protester, David Gale (Spacey), is about to be executed in Texas, and is giving three 2 hour interviews in the week leading up to his death. Bitsey (Winslet) is the reporter, and she becomes convinced of Gale's innocence in the murder and sets out in the last day to prove it.
What this film has that so many do not is realism. One of the many potentials of film is to create reality. It is something that theatre can't do. Sadly. Movies tend to try for realism to a point, but there is always the permission given of 'well, its just a movie, the audience will go with it.' Gale does not allow itself to do that. You can't always save the day in the last minute. Its a fact, but most movies do not allow for that. They'd rather save the day when the timer on the bomb hits one second, teasing us that maybe, just this once, the bomb will go off. Not saying that I am bloodthirsty in every movie I see; rather, I abhor the body count that summers rack up (although I am known to enjoy James Bond and Jason Bourne's antics). What bothers me is not that everyone lives all the time, but simply that that doesn't happen. When in history has anyone ever cut the right wire right at one second? But I ramble, and not about this movie. so moving right along.
I surfed the IMDb boards as I frequently do after watching a film, and found that a few people are railing that this film has terrible acting, a waste of the stars' talents. I disagree. Sometimes, the best acting you ever see is when you can't tell that they are acting. You don't sit there thinking, "wow, Kevin Spacey is fantastic." That is also good acting, but good acting with some removal, you know that the performance is good, and so does the actor giving it. In this, they are simply acting, simply creating real people with real faults and real virtues. David Gale is a fully fleshed out man, not just an amazing character like 'Verbal' Kint.
Direction: 4
Artistic Vision: 4
Acting: 4.5
Production Design: 3.5
Cultural Relevance: 5
Overall: 9/10
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1 comment:
I guess I better see this one. You are absolutely right that sometimes the best acting is the acting that you don't 'see'. Anytime an actor can make me forget (s)he is acting, it's impressive. I guess that's the downside of being an insider - by training, at least.
Of course, I will always relish moments like Ian McKellan's "I killed my enemy and smote his ruin on the mountainside". More delicious than chocolate mousse! :-)
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