Sunday, May 11, 2008

Roger That

Here's Roger Ebert on David Mamet's Redbelt:

It never really pulls itself together into the convincing, focused drama it promises, yet it kept me involved right up until the final scenes, which piled on developments almost recklessly. So gifted is Mamet as a writer and director that he can fascinate us even when he's pulling rabbits out of an empty hat

This encapsulates the problem with many film critics (who gave Redbelt a 70 positive score at Rotten Tomatoes) and Mamet. They're so impressed with his theatrical credentials that they put up with ridiculous plots and dialogue that would guarantee a thumbs down from anyone else.

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Not just critics are snowed by Mamet. Executives at Fox greenlit that ridiculous "rich men trapped in the wilderness with a bear" movie. Critics wouldn't get the opportunity to kiss Mamet's ass if executives didn't do it first.

And there's always an otherwise intelligent critic who is an apologist for someone (looking at you, Manohla "I loves me some David Fincher" Dargis).

10:27 AM, May 12, 2008  

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