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post #1 of 3
4/17/08 at 8:35pm
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After viewing this film last night after blindly throwing it on my netflix queue, I'm baffled that I haven't seen it before. I must've missed this train back in 2002/2003, but what an amazingly sordid trip down the life of an empty vessel.

Why this film didn't get as much love as it should have back is mystifying; Kinnear and Dafoe give awards screaming performances, and it's arguably Schrader's best film (directed anyways).

Wow. Floored and kicking myself for not discovering this earlier.
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post #2 of 3
4/17/08 at 9:03pm
It's an amazing film, but certainly not a feel-good picture. I think that's the main reason it didn't get more widespread love. Myself, after watching it, I couldn't exactly go around recommending it to anyone. The best I could muster was, "It's the best film you'll see that will leave you feeling like you want to kill yourself." (Incidentally, that honor has since been awarded to They Shoot Horses, Don't They.)

Also: how amazing in it that, in a film full of repulsive moments, Schrader manages to make that shot of Crane pantomiming water-skiing in front of a rear projection screen one of the most repulsive of all? That's when you know Crane's hit rock bottom -- he's starring in a shitty Disney movie.
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post #3 of 3
4/17/08 at 9:29pm
Quote:
Myself, after watching it, I couldn't exactly go around recommending it to anyone.
Oh, I could. The scoring and cinematography grab you and take you down with these two. Most people I'd recommend movies to have no problem watching Willem Dafoe be a creep anyway.

Quote:
Schrader manages to make that shot of Crane pantomiming water-skiing in front of a rear projection screen one of the most repulsive of all?
Because art imitates life. Starring in SuperDad is lower than walking in on a swing party and immediately dropping trou, and possibly even lower than dinner theatre.
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