Written by Senora Bicho
Primal Fear is a courtroom drama that involves a complex plot with many twists and turns. It was based on the first novel in a series by William Diehl featuring the character of Martin Vail.
Martin Vail (Richard Gere) is a high-profile defense attorney who defends the dregs of society. He cares more about media attention than innocence, truth, and justice. When a well-known and beloved archbishop is murdered, Vail jumps at the chance to defend the 19-year-old alter boy accused of the crime for all of the attention that the case will garner. He goes to the jailhouse to meet Aaron Stampler (Edward Norton) who is a stuttering, meek, young man from a small town. Vail tells him right off that he doesn’t care if he did it or not but will defend him pro bono; Stampler quickly agrees.
Janet Venable (Laura Linney) is the prosecutor on the case who is under enormous pressure by her higher-ups to win the case and get the death penalty. Venable and Vail had a brief affair previously and so both want to win for personal reasons as well.
In the course of the investigation, Vail uncovers that the archbishop was receiving death threats because of a shady real-estate deal and he was sexually abusing the alter boys. He also comes to truly care for Aaron and believes that he is innocent. Aaron claims to have been having blackouts, so Vail hires a psychiatrist (Frances McDormand) to try and uncover the truth. After intense questioning, Aaron turns into “Roy,” an angry and hostile persona that confesses to killing the archbishop. The psychiatrist believes that Aaron suffers from multiple personality disorder. Since the trial is already underway, Vail is unable to change Aaron’s “not guilty” plea to insanity and so he must resort to unorthodox methods to save his client.
This edition comes with several new extras. A commentary tract by director Gregory Hoblit, co-writer Ann Biderman, producer Gary Lucchesi, executive producer Hawk Koch and casting director Deborah Aquila. The commentary is interesting, but it would have been nice to have one of the actors from the film as well. “Primal Fear: The Final Verdict” offers interviews with key people involved with the film including Norton and Linney. “Primal Fear: Star Witness” also has interviews but focuses on the casting of Norton. “Psychology of Guilt” provides factual information on the insanity defense and multiple personality disorders. The original theatrical trailer is also included.
Primal Fear is not a film of special effects or something that needs to be seen on a big screen to be appreciated; however, this Blu-ray version is good to look at considering the source. There is a limited depth of field in most shots causing a soft focus of backgrounds, but the clarity of the facial features helps to enhance the performances. Textures can be seen but not as sharp as current films. The color palette of the production design mainly uses earth tones with muted colors, although this does allow reds, particularly the blood at the murder scene to pop off the screen. The Dolby True HD sound does have much to do with this courtroom drama although the dialogue is clearly conveyed. James Newton Howard’s score sounds great, and it adds a layer to the emotion in the film.
This is an excellent film from the solid writing and intriguing story to the brilliant performances. Gere is at his best as the slick attorney who has his world turned upside down, Linney is perfect as the strong but vulnerable D.A., and I can’t say enough about Norton. Every time he is on screen, you can’t take your eyes off of him regardless of if he is sweet Aaron or hostile Roy. He is completely believable and engrossing as both characters. McDormand, John Mahoney, Andre Braugher, and Alfre Woodard are also stellar in their supporting roles.
I love Primal Fear and can watch it over and over again. Each time I find something new and interesting or appreciate a scene that I hadn’t previously. If you own a previous version of the movie, the extras offered in this edition are worth the upgrade if you would like more behind-the-scenes information.
Showing posts with label Edward Norton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Edward Norton. Show all posts
Monday, March 16, 2009
PRIMAL FEAR - Hard Evidence Edition
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
PRIDE AND GLORY
Written by Pollo Misterioso
Why do cop films try to not be cop films? Trying to expand on the genre is always refreshing, but when you deny the genre completely, what are you left with? Pride and Glory, the Warner Brothers film featuring Edward Norton and Collin Farrell, has the skeleton of a cop film, but it misses the meat that makes films like these so entertaining and worth watching.
Director Gavin O’Connor attempts to make a film that is more about the psychological nature of cops, showing what is happening behind the badge and the gun, but it never goes far enough into the characters and fails to short in the plot.
The stereotypes for a cop film are all there. You have the bad cop and good cop. Ray (Norton) is introduced with a scar on his face, which is the visual indicator that this man is emotionally wounded. He is about to get a divorce and has a troubled past. Don’t worry, he also seems to be the only person that can speak fluent Spanish, making him a valuable translator later in the film. Jimmy (Farrell) is the bad cop that is more of a hoodlum and thief than most people on the streets of New York. They are brother-in-laws, and both are cops with the NYPD.
Four cops are killed in the beginning of the film. Ray is asked by his father, played by Jon Voight, to head the task force to find the killer. Farrell and his men are after the same guy, but for reasons to cover up themselves in their own misdealing. Ray’s older brother Francis (Noah Emmerich) is also involved because it was his men that were killed. It turns out, that as Ray gets closer to finding the truth, the family becomes more involved and the consequences grow larger as we find out how everyone is involved in the crime. As it turns out, Jimmy is the ring leader for the corruption that is happening within the system.
The problem here isn’t hard to identify. Movies of this genre get its suspense and entertainment from solving the crime. It is the way that the film presents the problem that creates confusion and concern for a cop movie. O’Connor spends a good part of the film establishing the family and its importance to our characters. Unfortunately, the way that it is shot and edited together, the small vignettes with loved ones, become unnecessary flashes that seem more like forced sympathy than anything with substance. Francis’ fiancé just got engaged and is battling cancer, but I had no idea what her name was. A little too forced?
Unfortunately, the writers are to blame for this one. The cop characters become such stereotypes when they are trying to play against it. They are tough, but sensitive; troubled and lost within the system. It seems to be written as a series of short films that are strung together by the characters and loose plot line. But in jumping from scene to scene, the development that wants to be created, is lost. In fact, there is just too much emotion that drives each small scene, that there is no grit.
There is no connection to any of the characters, no interest in the crime, instead we are left watching cops think, cry, and emote about what is going wrong. This is not to say that there isn’t any good violence (there is a scene involving Farrell, a baby and an iron that gets very intense), but even this can’t straighten out the plot that is supposed to drive the film. The drunken father-figure Jon Voight says “keep the rage, cut the rest of it loose”—if only the movie could have taken some of its own advice.
The DVD extras that accompany this film are almost better than the movie itself. There is only a documentary on the special features entitled “Source of Pride: The Making of Pride and Glory” that is worth watching. You get to see the kind of training and preparation the actors went through to participate in this film. In trying to make the actors more like real cops, they followed around NYPD officers for weeks on the job and some of the stuff they did is very intense and they talk about their experiences with it. If only the movie were this interesting to watch.
Why do cop films try to not be cop films? Trying to expand on the genre is always refreshing, but when you deny the genre completely, what are you left with? Pride and Glory, the Warner Brothers film featuring Edward Norton and Collin Farrell, has the skeleton of a cop film, but it misses the meat that makes films like these so entertaining and worth watching.
Director Gavin O’Connor attempts to make a film that is more about the psychological nature of cops, showing what is happening behind the badge and the gun, but it never goes far enough into the characters and fails to short in the plot.
The stereotypes for a cop film are all there. You have the bad cop and good cop. Ray (Norton) is introduced with a scar on his face, which is the visual indicator that this man is emotionally wounded. He is about to get a divorce and has a troubled past. Don’t worry, he also seems to be the only person that can speak fluent Spanish, making him a valuable translator later in the film. Jimmy (Farrell) is the bad cop that is more of a hoodlum and thief than most people on the streets of New York. They are brother-in-laws, and both are cops with the NYPD.
Four cops are killed in the beginning of the film. Ray is asked by his father, played by Jon Voight, to head the task force to find the killer. Farrell and his men are after the same guy, but for reasons to cover up themselves in their own misdealing. Ray’s older brother Francis (Noah Emmerich) is also involved because it was his men that were killed. It turns out, that as Ray gets closer to finding the truth, the family becomes more involved and the consequences grow larger as we find out how everyone is involved in the crime. As it turns out, Jimmy is the ring leader for the corruption that is happening within the system.
The problem here isn’t hard to identify. Movies of this genre get its suspense and entertainment from solving the crime. It is the way that the film presents the problem that creates confusion and concern for a cop movie. O’Connor spends a good part of the film establishing the family and its importance to our characters. Unfortunately, the way that it is shot and edited together, the small vignettes with loved ones, become unnecessary flashes that seem more like forced sympathy than anything with substance. Francis’ fiancé just got engaged and is battling cancer, but I had no idea what her name was. A little too forced?
Unfortunately, the writers are to blame for this one. The cop characters become such stereotypes when they are trying to play against it. They are tough, but sensitive; troubled and lost within the system. It seems to be written as a series of short films that are strung together by the characters and loose plot line. But in jumping from scene to scene, the development that wants to be created, is lost. In fact, there is just too much emotion that drives each small scene, that there is no grit.
There is no connection to any of the characters, no interest in the crime, instead we are left watching cops think, cry, and emote about what is going wrong. This is not to say that there isn’t any good violence (there is a scene involving Farrell, a baby and an iron that gets very intense), but even this can’t straighten out the plot that is supposed to drive the film. The drunken father-figure Jon Voight says “keep the rage, cut the rest of it loose”—if only the movie could have taken some of its own advice.
The DVD extras that accompany this film are almost better than the movie itself. There is only a documentary on the special features entitled “Source of Pride: The Making of Pride and Glory” that is worth watching. You get to see the kind of training and preparation the actors went through to participate in this film. In trying to make the actors more like real cops, they followed around NYPD officers for weeks on the job and some of the stuff they did is very intense and they talk about their experiences with it. If only the movie were this interesting to watch.
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