tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361087063517934891.post4326841436027223979..comments2024-01-09T05:41:10.873-05:00Comments on The Blue Vial: The Jacket (John Maybury, 2005)Drew McIntoshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07054307044280470117noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361087063517934891.post-8441034572043333362011-02-10T18:02:24.130-05:002011-02-10T18:02:24.130-05:00I think it's a double edged sword, J.D. in tha...I think it's a double edged sword, J.D. in that the ambivalence and lack of cohesion can enhance the movie when it's focusing on its hallucinogenic thriller aspects, but it also tends to trip it up when it tries its hand at being a love story, murder mystery, redemption story etc., and for me its never really quite able to sustain any one effect.<br /><br />I do ultimately like it quite a bit though, because when it's interesting it's <i>very</i> interesting.Drew McIntoshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07054307044280470117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361087063517934891.post-28077071422908666562011-02-10T16:19:18.415-05:002011-02-10T16:19:18.415-05:00Good call on Kristofferson and Craig... I had forg...Good call on Kristofferson and Craig... I had forgotten that the latter was in this one. And it was nice to see the alway awesome Jennifer Jason Leigh in there, albeit briefly.<br /><br />I certainly agree with you about appreciating the individual bits of this film. That is a good way of looking at. The film does seem to lack focus or coherence at times but, in a way, it almost lends to the film's hallucingenic or dreamy quality - the whole what is real, what isn't vibe.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164105442273577128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361087063517934891.post-46277415340161631992011-02-10T11:50:33.056-05:002011-02-10T11:50:33.056-05:00Thanks J.D.! It sounds like we had similar experie...Thanks J.D.! It sounds like we had similar experiences with this movie. I saw it when it was first released on DVD, and while I did find it engaging, like you it played to me as not much more than a poor man's JACOB'S LADDER. Moments from it stayed with me though, and subsequent viewings have definitely brought out its unique qualities.<br /><br />If you had to tag an overarching theme onto the movie, the idea of subjective reality you talk about would certainly be a major part of it. It also plays with strains of guilt, redemption, escaping the past (or the inability to) and wiping the slate clean. But I think ultimately its approach is a little too piecemeal and unfocused to tie any of this up into a sturdy whole. I think its far more interesting examined in its individual bits and the ideas behind them.<br /><br />I agree with you on Brody and Knightley, both were good here (though her accent gets a little iffy in moments), and I also thought Kristofferson and Daniel Craig made the most of their supporting parts, Craig in particular really throwing himself into a role that basically ends up being completely meaningless.Drew McIntoshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07054307044280470117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361087063517934891.post-53044521504922882762011-02-10T10:29:42.204-05:002011-02-10T10:29:42.204-05:00What an awesome review of this underrated gem of a...What an awesome review of this underrated gem of a film.<br /><br />Y'know, when I first caught up with this film on DVD and I wasn't all that crazy about it because it felt like a retread of JACOB'S LADDER but I've watched it a few times since then and my appreciation for what it tries to do grows. There is some really interesting things going on in this film as you point out and I think, for me, the film is about the notion of reality - what is real? And how does that perception change from one person to another? What might be reality to you may not be to another.<br /><br />In addition to Adrien Brody's performance, I also thought Keira Knightly was quite good. I'm not a huge fan of hers by any stretch but I thought she hit all the right notes in this one and really did an excellent job.<br /><br />Wow, thanks for taking a look at this. I hadn't thought about this film in some time. I might just have to give it another viewing soon.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164105442273577128noreply@blogger.com