Much like Joaquin Phoenix throughout the film, I think you would have to be as high as a kite to even write a synopsis for this film, let alone a review; as I imagine Paul Thomas Anderson must have been when he directed it. I tried my best but I just didn't get what the film was trying to do. Playing out at times more like a surreal comedy like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, rather than a noir detective story.
From about twenty minutes in, I didn't know or want to know, what the plot was about, I really didn't care. I also didn't detect any detective story in there; if there was one, then it must have dispersed among the many of Joaquin Phoenix's psychedelic drug binges. Don't get me wrong, the film is hilarious and both Joaquin Phoenix and Josh Brolin are excellent in it. The problem is, I didn't know where the comedy finished and crime drama began. Most of the film felt disjointed and lacked energy, and I almost fell asleep half way through the two and a half hours, which felt like an eternity. I think Inherent Vice is a bit of a misfire by Paul Thomas Anderson - a classic case of a novel not converting well into a film.
Th few hilarious moments and great performances are this film's only saving grace. I just hope PTA will be back on form for his next film.
Jennifer Lawrence plays a seventeen-year-old girl, Ree, who sets out in search for her missing meth cook father. Ree must either find him or evidence of his death within a week or her father's bail bondsman will repo the family home. This begins Ree’s journey among the meth-ruined lives of her nearby extended family.
Jennifer Lawrence's portrayal of a strong-willed, tenacious young women, trying to look out for her younger siblings and her mentally ill mother, was outstanding (defiantly her best performance to date.) The film has subtle feminist undertones, and because of its detective story style, it has also been labeled 'country noir' by some. It's a solid enough drama. Its only weakness is it takes a while to get going and it gets a little repetitive and loses momentum in places, but Jennifer Lawrence's performance shines through and manages to hold it all together.
The first and hopefully not the last classic noir I'll see. Previously, I'd only seen neo-noir films, and oldest of them was Chinatown. Now having seen the film that started it all, I can see how the genre has progressed and evolved over the years. However, the basics remain the same: a main protagonist trying to solve a crime or mystery, mainly set in one location, and mostly at night. In modern films the detective element remains but not the rest, in most cases.
One obvious difference when you compare The Maltese Falcon to Chinatown for instance, is the way society has changed. In the latter the detective has a shaky relationship with the police, but they maintain respect and don't cross the line - and in the end the police help him apprehend the suspect - a happy ending for all. In the latter, the police are not only corrupt to the core, but much of everything else is as well - the frustration over which is voiced in the final quote of the film "Forget it, Jake, it's Chinatown".
Differences aside, both eras have produced great films, and The Maltese Falcon is one of the best ever. For a film of it's age the complexity of the plot surprised me, the constant twists and turns in the mystery had my full concentration throughout. Bogart and Astor's screen chemistry was immense. It's seemed she has him wrapped around her little finger for most of the film, even though she was the suspect in the murder of is partner - defiantly one of the most devious and duplicitous femme fatale characters ever. One thing made me giggle were the colorful characters, especially Joel Cairo - a weird little man with an even weirder voice. And of course the 400 pound kingpin behind the whole conspiracy, Kasper 'Gutman'. That is after all, where the strength of such films lies - in the characters. And in this case, they were crafted to perfection. The film oozes style: from the filming, with close-ups and pan zoom shots you wouldn't expect to see, to the cornerstone of all classic noirs, the trench coats and cigarettes. The Maltese Falcon is a cinematic milestone that has whetted my appetite, not only for classic noir, but for films of that era in general.
