Review: EYES WIDE SHUT
Starring: Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Sidney Pollack,
And everyone in the film.
Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
Reviewed by: Joy Wyse, the SILVER Screen Critic
There has always been the question about the difference between Art and Pornography. I was reticent about seeing this film because of the hype and the previews that preceded it. I dreaded that I might be offended or embarrassed by it. No. It is Art.
How many times have you scoffed at an actor who declares that he (or she) would consider nudity `if the role warrants it for artistic reasons' when you know full well that he's only making a dumb excuse. The nudity in this film did not bother me in the slightest. It is Art.
Never before have I seen a motion picture that has stayed with me in its entirety. I can call to mind every single scene that I saw. Each and every actor is embedded in my head, from the leads to the one-liners. There are constant surprises, such as the costume shop, and the hotel clerk that are special, but even the rowdies on the street or the butlers are perfect. I don't think that Kubrick only did take after take with the stars, he did it with everyone. What a thrill those actors must have felt to have a Director bring them to full performance rather than dismissing them as `background'.
This movie is a very deep study into the workings of a marriage. Love is not the only basis for a lasting commitment. Just as important is trust, without which, love crumbles. That is the basis of the plot. Here is a happily married couple, with a darling, educated daughter. They are financially secure, socially prominent and physically attracted to each other. They have achieved the American dream.
They are so secure in their relationship that it bothers her when he doesn't show jealousy about her and a flirtation. The distrust starts to build and they jibe at each other. What happens in the next 48 hours is a great presentation of what could occur.
This is a Masterpiece. This is Art. I do want to see it again, but I don't need to. It's imbedded in my mind.
It's a definite A.
SEE YOU AT THE MOVIES.
The review above was posted to the
rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup (de.rec.film.kritiken for German reviews).
The Internet Movie Database accepts no responsibility for the contents of the
review and has no editorial control. Unless stated otherwise, the copyright
belongs to the author.
Please direct comments/criticisms of the review to relevant newsgroups.
Broken URLs inthe reviews are the responsibility of the author.
The formatting of the review is likely to differ from the original due
to ASCII to HTML conversion.
Related links: index of all rec.arts.movies.reviews reviews