Wednesday, February 13, 2013
HIGH DRAMA
Today's movie was the much maligned
with Zac Efron, Nicole Simpson, Matthew McConaughey, John Cusack and an amazing Macy Grey.
This movie is a cracker's fever dream. Florida swamps, alligator hunters, dead sheriffs, unsolved crimes, sensational news reporters, a nympho with a thing for prisoners and ex-cons, a young frustrated "paper boy" sexually inexperienced since his mama deserted the family, a homo brother with a thing for negro rough trade and so on.
Mostly the "cracker" stuff, which means white trash in Floridian.
Swirl this all together and there is fun as well as heartache with a little bit of thriller (a chase through the swamps) and some upsetting results of an investigation gone awry.
This film was not well received or, rather, it was received in the wrong way.
It is one of those where you wonder if any of the stars or their reps read the whole script or envisioned what a film of this original novel would look like.
Me? I enjoyed it. I was glued to my seat. I cannot say that I liked it but I would not have missed it for the world.
There is a lot of Zac Efron on view but we saw so many previews and photos there is nothing new in that. The real shock value is to see John Cusack play a psychopath.
Nicole Simpson must have loved doing this. She is, at heart, a transgressive actor and this is raw meat.
So.
I don't want to see it again but I am happy to have been around for it in all its grisly wonder.
A 3 out of Netflix5.
Labels: films
