Before and After
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Movie Reviews of Before and After
Movie Review: Accusations.
Summary: 3 Stars
Before and After starring Meryl Streep and Liam Neeson is a decent mystery drama but I wish the characters weren't so one-demensional. Edward Furlong's conflicting performance saves this film from sinking, why doesn't this young man do more films? Streep overacts, not sure why everyone makes such a fuss over her? The ending is pretty obvious, this is a mixed bag for me.Movie Review: An average adaptation of a disturbing book
Summary: 2 Stars
To put it simply, Before and After is a story about a family of four whose lives are forever altered when their son/brother is named a prime suspect in the death of the boy's girlfriend. His father finds evidence of the crime in the trunk of his son's car and disposes of it immediately, terrified of what it all means. And so the story is also about the lengths to which a father goes to protect his son.
There's no doubt that the book is richer than the movie. I can't deny that. There are some changes that are a bit obnoxious. For example, the death scene is different. I understand why they changed it. It was necessary in order to gain more sympathy for Jacob. I think this movie was trying to show us how bad things can happen in normal families without having to ask quite so much of the viewer. Yes, it does water down the message. In fact, it completely changes the message. Not only has the death scene been Hollywoodized, so has the character of Jacob. There's that strong hint of uncontrollable anger in him, but he doesn't do the same horrible things that the book Jacob does. The tension is still there, but the dilemma is far more simplistic and commercialized. As a result, the movie feels, at times, like a lifeless version of the novel. But what do you expect? That's Hollywood. At least we still have the book for those with the initiative to read it. Just be warned, the book is quite disturbing. I read it so long ago and I don't think that I was able to appreciate all the layers to it at the time, so I can't really recommend it. But what I do know is that it's got more depth to it than the movie does.
But none of this is really helpful to those who haven't read the book. On its own, the movie makes for a compelling story but it does have some flaws. I thought the acting was OK, though the characters were a bit one-dimensional. Jacob didn't seem to express much emotion which makes it hard to relate to him. This is kind of ironic, given the fact that the movie was drastically altered to make him more sympathetic to the viewer. Honestly, though, if Jacob had been portrayed in the movie the way he was portrayed in the book, it would have been impossible to get through the film because the viciousness of his actions combined with his zero personality would have gotten to be too much. As for the plot, I think it was interesting enough, though even if you haven't read the book, you may feel like it's a bit tame.
I did really love the setting. The whole atmosphere of the movie was perfect. There's that sense of isolation from the world but it's not entirely unpleasant. In a weird way, it's almost comforting. That sounds strange, I know. I think the movie does a good job conveying both the suffocation and the love of family.
Movie Review: Wake me when it's over
Summary: 2 Stars
When sulky teen Jacob Ryan (Edward Furlong) is accused of killing his girlfriend, his parents (Meryl Streep, Liam Neeson) first try to cover up what really happened; later, the truth comes out. Or is it the truth?
How such talented actors could make such an abysmal film is nothing short of amazing. The movie is just bad. Every word that the characters say sounds like, well, movie dialogue. None of it rings true. Everyone - from the parents, to the boy, to his little sister, to the lawyer - is way too Noble and Heroic to be believable. The pregnant pauses, pained expressions, and lofty platitudes about loving one's family and doing the right thing are over-done and just plain boring.
There's no question Streep and Neeson are fine actors, but here they over-act shamelessly, hampered by ridiculous dialogue and a script that never quite knows where it's going. Alfred Molina is good as the lawyer, but he is still saddled with trite dialogue and courtroom drama that would have embarrassed Perry Mason. Furlong's specialty was playing alienated, sullen kids, but he overdoes it and sleepwalks through the movie. The corny voice-over narration saying life changes forever after an event like being accused of murder isn't true; their life seems pretty much the same afterward. I give it two stars for the picturesque New England scenery.
Movie Review: Is it a comedy?
Summary: 2 Stars
Well, I found myself shaking my head and chuckling a few times and the ridiculous dialogue. But wait, it's not a comedy! As one of the other viewers pointed out, the movie dialogue was so corny and so much like a movie that it reminded me of a skit from Saturday Night Live or something. The parents were both morons, in my opinion. It's very sad that such excellent actors had to play such stupid roles.
I give it two stars for the beautiful scenery in the movie.
Movie Review: Tepid attempt...
Summary: 1 Stars
With a great cast, a storyline that could have been developed into something of more interest (and which could have permitted its protagonists to show their true acting potential), and based on a book that was rather captivating, it is quite surprising that this movie was such a disappointment. The way in which it was edited (from the very beginning, when it takes nearly five minutes for any of the characters to speak one word or do anything of importance --while a piece of pseudo-mysterious classical music plays in the background) gives it a TV movie feel that lasts through the very end. The sudden and predictable denouement takes place after over an hour and a half of no character development and absolute movie boredom; even Meryl Streep's amazing acting qualities do nothing to rescue this tepid excuse for a film. Not worth buying, only worth watching on a boring Sunday afternoon when there's nothing else on the other 157 channels.