Chaplin
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Movie Reviews of Chaplin
Movie Review: Robert Downey Jr Is Amazing - The Movie Is Great!
Summary: 5 Stars
CHAPLIN was a film that when I saw in the theatre I was amazed not only in the life of this one man but in the enormous pool of talent Hollywood has, Directed by actor/writer/producer Richard Attenborough (Gandhi, A Bridge Too Far, A Chorus Line), this movie tell the ins and outs and humor and dark sides of man who changed Hollywood forever. His comic talent and timing were incredible and his ingenuity in filmmaking revolutionized the industry. E was a lover, womanizer, lonely, angry and always reinventing the wheel.Starring as Chaplin himself - gives an award winning performance is Robert Downey Jr. (Soapdish, Short Cuts, Bowfinger). His depth and aging process are very real and amazing transformations makes this movie completely real.
Other cast members include
Dan Aykroyd (Ghostbusters, Driving Miss Daisy, Sneakers) as Chaplin's ground breaking director Mack Sennett.
Anthony Hopkins (Silence Of The Lambs, Mission Impossible II, The Mask Of Zorro)) as the author of Chaplin's life story George Hayden.
Geraldine Chaplin (Home For The Holidays, Gulliver's Travels, To Walk With Lions) who is the real-life daughter of Chaplin playing Charlie's grandmother,
Kevin Kline (My Life As A House, Dave, In & Out, Wild Wild West) playing actor Douglas Fairbanks.
Diane Lane (Jack Murder At 1600, Jack, The Perfect Storm) playing Chaplin's first love.
Marisa Tomei (My Cousin Vinny, In The Bedroom) playing Chaplin's first of many flings.
Nancy Travis (Three Men And A Baby, Greedy, Doc Hollywood) playing Chaplin's next love.
James Woods (John Q, Hercules, Nixon, Casino, The Hard Way) playing Chaplin's prosecutor.
Also you can find David Ducovney (The X Files) and Penelope Ann Miller (Carlito's Way) in small parts.
Visually Richard A. made an incredibly detailed and realistic time capsule of history, memories and madness in the life of a creative genius. The DVD extras include a behind the scenes short as well as a `hidden menu'. I leave that for you to find. This is a really enjoyable film and although it might be a little long - the time passes so fast you never notice it. A must for the docu-drama fan. (9-2-02)
Movie Review: An excellent film.
Summary: 5 Stars
It must be enormously difficult to produce a worthy biographical movie, the subject matter can be less clourful than the "Famous" persona suggests. Critical scrutiny of the work is always going to be harsh and purist, particularly from family and the fan base. Chaplin is a more rounded and colourful subject than most but that notion in itself would not make the project easy.
Attenborough does a sterling job given that the story has to span several decades of enormous change, incorporate a massive cast and demonstrate Chaplin's artistic importance as well as the complexities of his personal life.
Downey Jr is an outstanding star and gives Chaplin a a fuller and more human character and face which is at once tragic, loving, driven,even sexy. His British accent is impeccable, I actually for got he is American very early on which is praise indeed from a native Brit, his Englishness was far better than Rees's Americanisation (the actor who plays Sydney Chaplin and is actually British, he is great in the role nonetheless).
Downey Jr also manages to portray a sense of iron hard strength and lost and lonely vulnerability that were the essential components of Chaplin's personality. Downey Jr also works hard to get a sense of Chaplin's balletic, choreographed comedy. Essential viewing, Downey Jr was most definitely robbed of the Oscar for this role, he did however win the BAFTA for it (British Academy Film and Television Award).
Movie Review: Robert Downey Junior - The Bad Boy at His Best
Summary: 5 Stars
If you're anything like me, the almost semi-annual relapse and recovery of Robert Downey Jr. has been an interesting periodic feature of the morning news. After a while one begins to question why does Hollywood put up with him when there is no shortage of talented actors desperately trying to make it in Hollywood? Why would producers and studios, who are so financially dependent on their productions going off without a hitch, take yet another chance on Robert Downey, Jr? Then I saw Chaplin, and I understood.The intensity and power of the Robert Downey's performance in this film is the stuff of Oscars and true movie legend! It's both a beautiful performance and a beautiful film!
Somehow Sir Richard Attenborough got out of Downey the kind of performance that can sustain a career, and a legend. But Sir Richard's mastery didn't stop there. He got spectacular performance out of everyone, including a young, pre-X-Files David Duchovny. (I know I misspelled that. But you know who I mean.)
In summation, Robert Downey's performance is every bit the equal of James Dean's in Giant, East of Eden or Rebel without a Cause, and maybe that's what we should keep in mind. For unlike Dean, another self-destructive personality, Robert Downey has not driven off the cliff yet, and hopefully he never will.
Movie Review: The greatest hollywood talent of all time was played great by Downey Jr.
Summary: 5 Stars
We live in a time when actors have their faces, butts, chests, and legs, digitally improved for the movies, this picture shows the genious Chaplin on the cutting edge. Some actors can barely say their lines today, while Chaplin directed, acted, did choreography, and even wrote and sometimes played the music for his movies. The greatest hollywood talent of all time.
The movie of course spent more time talking about his private life which also was very interesting for the public. Robert Downey Jr. was amazing and stayed dedicated to Chaplin while his family watched on during filming. It showed the best and worst of him. Like the movie "Hoffa", a fictitional character; which wasn't needed; was used during the film and it slightly clouded up the story. From his terrible childhood as a poor English kid with a loving brother and a mother who was losing her mind, to the great break in the "flickers". People seem to love or hate this movie. I'm 40 and my fiance is 30 and we both loved it and I think most will too. I watch it all of the time and am now a Chaplin fan.
Movie Review: A Dazzling Cinematic Experience...
Summary: 5 Stars
Charles Chaplin was one of the pioneers in film who brought us classics such as The Kid (1921), Gold Rush (1925), Modern Times (1936), and Great Dictator (1940). His many successes are still to this day considered masterpieces which he created, acted, directed, and edited. He had a brilliant eye for what the human mind was observing and he could make comedy out of almost anything. However, despite Chaplin's great sense of humor the recurrent theme in his life seems to be surrounded by sadness and loss where his escape was to help others feel a sense of joy. Chaplin is a brilliant cinematic story that has a fantastic cast and where the lead as Chaplin is managed brilliantly by Robert Downey Jr.. In addition, the story weaves in moments out of Chaplin's life where he got his ideas in an ingenious manner which displays the superb directing in the story. When the audience sees everything put together they will experience a dazzling cinematic experience.