- Joined
- Aug 28, 2011
- Messages
- 27,053
- Reaction Score
- 66,113
This is Edward Norton going all in. Adapting a novel for film by writing the screenplay, directing and starring. It's a gritty 1950's detective piece that is best described as a New York City "Chinatown" knockoff. Unfortunately it doesn't succeed as Chinatown did, but that would have been a huge lift.
I love period pieces and this does a wonderful job of portraying the city. There is enough of 1950s Brooklyn around to stage a movie and Norton really uses the locations and sets beautifully. The performances are very good. Norton's portrayal of the gumshoe plagued by Tourettes does border on the annoying. The rest of the cast is pretty dead on.
The editing is indulgent. A tighter movie would have been a better movie. But I enjoyed two plus hours and do appreciate the effort that film making of this scope demands.
I love period pieces and this does a wonderful job of portraying the city. There is enough of 1950s Brooklyn around to stage a movie and Norton really uses the locations and sets beautifully. The performances are very good. Norton's portrayal of the gumshoe plagued by Tourettes does border on the annoying. The rest of the cast is pretty dead on.
The editing is indulgent. A tighter movie would have been a better movie. But I enjoyed two plus hours and do appreciate the effort that film making of this scope demands.