THE GINGERBREAD MAN 1998
A film review by Timothy Voon
Copyright 1998 Timothy Voon
3 :-( :-( :-( for Grisham's worst told tale yet
Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Embeth Davidtz, Robert Downey Jr., Daryl Hannah, Robert Duvall, Tom Berenger, Famke Janssen, Jesse James, Mae Whitman Director: Robert Altman Producer: Jeremy Tannenbaum Screenplay: "Al Hayes" (Robert Altman) based on an original story by John Grisham
The first thing that struck me about this movie, was how amateurish it felt. Maybe, this was the intent of the usually brilliant Robert Altman, who I am surprised decided to cash in on this potentially commercial, John Grisham product. Well, why not, if Ford Coppola saw fit to direct THE RAINMAKER?
This isn't your standard Grisham courtroom drama. Gone are the usual features of the incredibly corrupt industrial forces vs. the severely disadvantaged individual, with a lawyer carrying a conscience thrown somewhere in between. Also gone, are some strong Grisham's tendencies to highlight moralistic issues.
Sadly so, because this movie has ended up becoming melodramatic trash, more in consistency with Sidney Sheldon or Jackie Collins, but lacking the bitchy edge. What we have is a sleazy lawyer (Kenneth Branagh), who ends up in bed with a mysterious waitress (Embeth Davidzt), living in fear of her lunatic father (Robert Duvall). The movie hits an all time low, when a mostly grumpy, whiney Branagh loses all self control when his kids get kidnap. I guess there is a moral here, somewhere, if you sleep around expect to get more than just you're fair share of STD's.
As already mentioned, Branagh is painful to watch when not reciting Shakespeare. Daryl Hannah acts as an assistant lawyer, but it takes more than her pair of glasses to make her role intelligent. Robert Downey Jr, is once again stoned, etc. Duvall is genuinely crazed, whilst Davidzt mopes, and Tom Berenger has very little screen time.
A most disappointing tale, with little relevance to the children's story on which it is based, except for the fact that Davidzt got nightmares when Duval told her the story when she was a kid.
Timothy Voon
e-mail: stirling@netlink.com.au
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