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Reviews32
sps-70659's rating
There's plenty to like about this movie, but plenty of reservations too, if you will pardon the pun.
There's nothing particularly wrong with the premise, a talented but manipulative Native American who climbs to a higher station, but cannot escape the awful baggage he has left behind.
The Native American leads are convincing and affecting, and the Jesse Eisenberg cameos likewise.
The problem is the unnecessary and unconvincing "political" effort to link the modern day drama to the horrors of the original invasion.
Remove the first five minutes and the last five minutes, you would have a more coherent movie.
There's nothing particularly wrong with the premise, a talented but manipulative Native American who climbs to a higher station, but cannot escape the awful baggage he has left behind.
The Native American leads are convincing and affecting, and the Jesse Eisenberg cameos likewise.
The problem is the unnecessary and unconvincing "political" effort to link the modern day drama to the horrors of the original invasion.
Remove the first five minutes and the last five minutes, you would have a more coherent movie.
Somebody go see this movie, it is in the best traditions of great Italian movies, making a fine study, from a difficult (harrowing) topic.
Given the outline, girl falls for violent and controlling relationship, you wonder how director De Matteo can make something original and arresting of this, but he succeeds very well, including an intricate but well-judged ending.
The father, mother, and abused girl, are all played with great skill, particular plaudits to Edoardo Leo, whose love for his daughter is made unbearably palpable and believable. Not to mention the human flaws in his makeup, which threaten to derail his responses to his daughter's travails.
Minor characters, cinematography, musical score, all carry their share of the load. Nor does the movie overstay its welcome.
Given the outline, girl falls for violent and controlling relationship, you wonder how director De Matteo can make something original and arresting of this, but he succeeds very well, including an intricate but well-judged ending.
The father, mother, and abused girl, are all played with great skill, particular plaudits to Edoardo Leo, whose love for his daughter is made unbearably palpable and believable. Not to mention the human flaws in his makeup, which threaten to derail his responses to his daughter's travails.
Minor characters, cinematography, musical score, all carry their share of the load. Nor does the movie overstay its welcome.
Ignore the pitiful five-figure box office for Peppermint Candy. It's one of the great movies of the past 25 years, you can see its influence, in various Korean (or Japanese) movies over that time.
Running the narrative backwards can be a pain, but here it works a treat, with pretty much every scene pulling its weight. The director's script is deep and brainy, but also grounded and cinematic.
To watch this one, a liking for Korean or Arthouse movies is by no means a.requirement.
What's particularly impressive is the main character. The director shows this selfish and wayward individual without sentimentality, yet nevertheless his tragedy becomes very relatable, even a cause for sympathy.
Sure, he is meant to wrap in more than a bit of postwar changes to Korean society in general, but he never becomes a cipher.
Running the narrative backwards can be a pain, but here it works a treat, with pretty much every scene pulling its weight. The director's script is deep and brainy, but also grounded and cinematic.
To watch this one, a liking for Korean or Arthouse movies is by no means a.requirement.
What's particularly impressive is the main character. The director shows this selfish and wayward individual without sentimentality, yet nevertheless his tragedy becomes very relatable, even a cause for sympathy.
Sure, he is meant to wrap in more than a bit of postwar changes to Korean society in general, but he never becomes a cipher.