Heaven's Prisoners
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Movie Reviews of Heaven's Prisoners
Movie Review: I Did This Backward!
Summary: 4 Stars
I saw the 2009 release, IN THE ELECTRIC MIST, with Tommy Lee Jones & John Goodman BEFORE I saw this film. This one was made in 1995, and you see a very slim Alec Baldwin. Teri Hatcher gives a really quiet, powerful performance as the wife of a 'local bad guy' (Eric Roberts) and more than carries the role. She excels in the time she has on the screen. Poor Ms. Lynch gets offed early on so she isn't around for the ending. I won't tell you how it ends!
Once again the real star is Louisiana. This film was made BEFORE Katrina so you see homes and businesses that are no longer there. I found that haunting and sad. The story line is full of holes. They want us to believe a little El Salvadorian child (who speaks no English) can survive a plane crash and go live with Alec & Kelly and no one in 'The Parish' is gonna notice or say anything. Yeah, right. That was the thing about the film that struck a totally phony note. Otherwise, I loved the movie. Everyone was menacing and scary. The lighting was dark and mysterious. The bars and apartments were straight out of an Ann Rice novel. Spooky.
Then you have the new one, IN THE ELECTRIC MIST where Tommy Lee Jones plays the Alec Baldwin role and John Goodman plays the Eric Roberts role. Yeah, I can see that casting. Not. Since I am a fan of all four actors, I can't say which one is better in the roles. Tommy Lee just IS the character. Alec was too young and pretty. Which was why I liked it. But if you're talking Cajun Country you ain't talkin' pretty boys, darlin'. They got real men down there who don't check the mirror when they leave the house to make sure every hair is in place.
I could watch this film every night just to 'feel' the bayou, the land, the water, the ambiance, the soul of Louisiana. I do hope they make TIN ROOF BLOWDOWN. It's Burke's homage to Hurricane Katrina and would make a truly wonderful film. Let's cast Tommy Lee in that one again. But let's find someone else to play Bubba. Don't like watching John Goodman play the bad guy. He's too sweet a guy in real life.
Really enjoyed this film.
Movie Review: A very underrated movie.
Summary: 4 Stars
This is quite simply a 4-star production of a 5-star book. Many people only rented a copy to fast forward straight to the Teri Hatcher nude scene, while some actually wanted to see the screen adaptation of a wonderful book by James Lee Burke.Many seem to attack Alec Baldwin's portayal of the lead character, Dave Robicheaux, but I actually think he did a very respectable job. Sure his Cajun accent wasn't 100% dead on, but that isn't all that makes a character. The Robicheaux character, throughout the series of books, is a flawed character that is full of heart and that is exactly how it comes across on-screen. It seems as if every other role was perfectly cast, especially the role of Claudette (played by Teri Hatcher). Every last detail is done perfectly, from the accent down to the sultry demeanor.
The plot brings plenty of action scenes, with many scenes that bring out emotion. If the production studio hadn't been nearly broke when this movie was made (and subsequently put on the shelf for a couple of years), therefore going vastly unpublicized, it would have been more successful at the box office. Don't let the numbers fool you, this is quite a film.
The Teri Hatcher balcony scene sure helps too!
Movie Review: A COMMENDABLE ADAPTION OF THE NOVEL
Summary: 4 Stars
Somewhat true to the novel HEAVEN'S PRISONERS by David Lee Burke. Baldwin does an acceptable job as the main character but I felt Tommy Lee Jones nailed it better in a later film about the David Robicheaux character (IN THE ELECTRIC MIST). Many will be happy to see Teri Hatcher naked before her implant job but I think the overall strength of this film is the setting. You truly get a feel for bayou setting and the narrow architectural boulevards of New Orleans as well as the seedy underbelly of society in which Robicheaux must navigate to find answers (though the novel does a far better job). There were a couple of plot points they changed which made it more satisfying on a Hollywood movie level but I won't give away spoilers. The film did a mediocre job in showing the main character's downward spiral to drinking again. Fans of this movie will probably want to check out the novel. CHARACTERS/DIALOGUE: B; SETTING: B plus; STORY/PLOTTING: B to B plus; WHEN WATCHED: mid March 2011; MY GRADE: B to B plus.
Movie Review: Another Pretty Solid Modern 'Noir'
Summary: 4 Stars
I guess you could call this a "neo-noir," which is a modern-day film noir. It has that atmosphere, especially in New Orleans which seems to always be pictured on the seamy side in films. After the devastation that took place there a few years ago ("Katrina"), perhaps filmmakers will be kinder to the city in future movies.
Anyway, a seedy-portrayed New Orleans, some good blues music and five varied-and-all interesting lead characters make this a very watchable movie. Alec Baldwin, Kelly Lynch, Teri Hatcher, Mary Stuart Masterston and Eric Roberts all contribute with good performances All but Roberts are the "good guys" in this one.
The movie keeps your attention and has you involved for most of the two hours. The action is well-dispersed. My only complaint is a small one: Baldwin with the southern accent doesn't sound natural. Otherwise, a good modern-day crime story.
Movie Review: Imperfection with a Flavour
Summary: 4 Stars
If every movie were perfect, if every script were flawless, if every actor were Humphrey Bogart and every actress were Lauren Becal, if every director were John Huston then what fun would there be on Oscar night? I am a `B' movie fan and this is a really fine example of a `B' detective movie. Plenty of action, plenty of beautiful scenery and people, a halfway decent plot, plenty of logical unpredictability, and it plays well on the small screen. It has more grit than "The Big Easy" and a fairly good cast. And it has an honesty that saves us from suffering through an ending with a dime store moral. This is a good one for one of those evening when you have nothing else to do and no one special to do it with. So warm up the VCR/DVD, pop up a big bowl, dump on the butter and salt, pop the top on a cool one and enjoy.