Dangerous Game
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Movie Reviews of Dangerous Game
Movie Review: Barely released, barely known, yet, it's a great film....
Summary: 4 Stars
The reviews on this puppy were atrocious, it barely got a release in theaters (despite having Madonna and Keitel), but when I first saw it, I was mesmerized by it. It's just a film about the making of a film. There really isn't any plot. But the film has many powerful scenes, and there is almost an unbearable tension on this film set, as Keitel is deliberately screwing around with Russo's character (bullying him, yelling at him), he's having sex with Madonna's character (in order to "build up" her character), and Keitel's wife (played by the then Mrs. Ferrara) ends up furious at him when she is told about it. It's really a very brutal portrayal of the film world. Not all films are like this obviously, but there are many who probably are. Abel Ferrara's film has a power to it, and I'm not really sure why. Madonna actually gives one of her best performances, playing a real person as opposed to just being Madonna, which she usually does. James Russo sears the screen as usual. It's a shame he isn't better known, as he is a superlative actor. And Keitel is, well, Keitel, giving another great performance here. I really have no idea why critics dumped on this one. Perhaps it's their dislike of Madonna movies, and given her track record, one can't blame them. But this is worth checking out, especially for Keitel and Abel Ferrara fans.Movie Review: Bold and thought-provoking
Summary: 4 Stars
Not your typical Hollywood fare. Emotionally gripping and confronting, Dangerous Game cuts to the core of human nature and our search for answers and meaning. Abel Ferrara's exploration of our desires, fears, and failings rings painfully true. If it's difficult to watch then that's because it's not always easy to face the darker side of our souls.Movie Review: Ferrara and Keitel re team for this frustrating drama
Summary: 3 Stars
This review is written by an Abel fan rather than a Madonna fan who I think is unbearable in this movie. She stars as Sarah Jennings an actress who has just landed the lead role in a film called Mother of Mirrors. The film deals with a married couple who have lived a lifestyle that includes heavy drug use and sex with multiple partners. The wife has had a spiritual awakening and no longer wants to partake in these sinful activities. She's hoping that her husband will stop as well and she makes it her mission to save him. The husband doesn't want to hear it and he beats her and taunts her about her new found faith. Directing this film is Eddie Israel (Harvey Keitel). The fact that Keitel is playing a character very similar to director Abel Ferrara is what makes this challenging film worth the effort. The film within a film Mother of Mirrors is similar to Abel's relationship with his ex-wife Nancy. (Nancy even plays Eddie's wife in the movie.) Keitel completely captures Abel complete with the long hair, leather coat, and shades that Ferrara frequently wears. More than a physical transformation Keitel shows how Abel works with his actors: tender when he needs to be and violent and confrontational when the scene isn't working. This film feels a lot like David Lynch's Inland Empire as what is taking place in the fake movie begins to happen to the actors in their everyday lives. Sarah and Burns (James Russo) the actor playing her husband are actually having an off screen relationship that is becoming more violent as the film shoot progresses. Burns is fueled by heavy drug use which holds up shooting and leads to confrontations between him and Eddie. To further complicate things Eddie has even begun sleeping with Sarah. At times trying to figure out what is in the movie and what is actually happening can be confusing but mostly it's just annoying. The acting from Madonna and James Russo doesn't help any since they are both so grating and whine constantly. Keitel is the saving grace of the film turning in a fine performance but he alone can't save things. The film just plunges deeper and deeper into violence and drug use. What makes this film interesting for Abel fans is in watching this fictionalized account of his life and wondering how much of it is true. There is a scene towards the end of the film where Eddie confesses to Nancy that he has been sleeping with Sarah and the two women missed each other by seconds once when Nancy brought the kids to the set to pay him a visit. Eddie digs the knife deeper by admitting that Sarah wasn't the first that there have been numerous others on each film he has worked on. Eddie's timing couldn't be better since the time he chooses to get things off his chest happens to be the morning of Nancy's father's funeral. There is another interesting moment where Eddie ridicules Sarah and tells her that without him she would be nothing. He is doing her a favor by casting her in this movie and he is solely responsible for her career taking off. Madonna's production company Maverick produced this film and no doubt contributed money to the film. Abel probably would have had trouble getting this film made were it not for Madonna's participation. It fails to be as good as Bad Lieutenant even though it takes the same raw approach. Near the end of the film when things are looking hopeless for everyone especially Eddie who is lost in a haze of pills and booze he watches a documentary with director Werner Herzog. Herzog says that even if everyone tells him that the film is a masterpiece he will never be able to justify it to himself and thinks that he should be put in an insane asylum. The ending is certainly a downer as each character meets their dark fate and once Bob Dylan starts singing Blue Moon over the end credits you are glad that this Abel exercise is finally over.Movie Review: A sound riposte to Bad Lieutenant
Summary: 1 Stars
You know how Amazon ratings work, so you might understand that I under-rated this mess because the over-all mean was way too high. This is a fascinating film in some ways. It's OK. Keitel and Russo have some unusual acting contexts in which to strut their stuff. It was mean to cast Madonna. She's so awful that the film seems to endorse all the misogynistic violence towards her. Keitel has fun playing Abel Ferrara, perhaps partly in revenge for being Catholicly "exploited" in Bad Lieutenant. I remember when I first saw this in the early 90s right after Bad Lieutenant, the intertextual references seemed very graphic. Less so now, but the film, as sub-standard as it is, has to be appreciated as a reaction by both keitel and Ferrara to their impressive collaboration in the aforementioned Zoe Tamerlis-scripted masterpiece. James Russo is excellent with a weakly-scripted part. Whatever happened to Russo? Such a good actor. Nicholas St. John - a frequent collaborator of Ferrara - shows no real talent in this rather enervated Hollywood lampoon. And for that matter, whatever happened to Ferrara?Movie Review: endurance test
Summary: 1 Stars
Uneven. Have always liked Keitel and Russo, but not here. Both stiff. Awful.
Only one person to blame: the "director." Actually, two: the "writing" leaves a lot to be desired.
I have a suggestion: how about starting out with a sound, well-written screenplay next time?
You see, the screenplay is your foundation. Just like you can't build a house without a sound foundation,
you shouldn't attempt to make a film without a solid screenplay.
You, then, only then, build on that with good actors and a director with talent.
How about that for common sense?
And Madonna? To watch this woman try to act is agony beyond words. Not a single syllable that comes out of her mouth comes close to being believable.
Did she invest in this mess? Is that how she got the role?
Not that it matters.