There’s no true grit to be found in James Mangold’s fun but safe Western remake. Nitpicking, however, is no way to treat a movie that gives us two heavyweights like Russell Crowe and Christian Bale on top of their games.
While The Pursuit of Happyness could very easily be subtitled The Pursuit of Sappyness, the terrific father-son dynamic between Will and Jaden Smith is enough to make for an effective tearjerker—barely.
Walk the Line arguably boasts two of the most dazzling, Oscar-worthy performances of the year from Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon. It's just a shame the biopic isn't as brave. After all, Johnny Cash wasn't "The Man in Black" just for his wardrobe alone.
Don’t be fooled by the The Weather Man’s marketing approach. It appears to be a laugh-riot comedy fueled by flying fast food and Nicolas Cage meltdowns. But the film is really a thoughtfully assembled, terrifically acted existential journey of a man coming to grips with his own mediocrity.
By:
Doris Toumarkine
September 27, 2002 10:25am EST
Eager to please in spite of its many flaws, Moonlight Mile provides a valuable education for budding filmmakers and marginal entertainment for filmgoers.