Levity
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Movie Reviews of Levity
Movie Review: -
Summary: 4 Stars
Considering the cast, I thought that Levity received a surprisingly small amount of attention. Most likely that's becuase it doesn't meet the standard for the type of movie average Americans enjoy. I thought Billy Bob Thornton did an excellent job with his character. All of the characters draw you into the movie. Levity is quiet for the most part and somewhat grim, but at the same time it contains dark comedy throughout the entire length of the movie. A good movie overall.
Movie Review: The Car Analogy
Summary: 3 Stars
It felt like I had been driving in a car for hours. No rest stops, but there's no pressure because I don't have to go the bathroom. It never quite seemed we would reach our destination and so I screamed, but no one was around to hear it. That's what LEVITY felt like.
More writer-than-director Ed Solomon's entry into the sweetly populated area of 100 minute films having to do with crime and its reprecussions is nothing more than a walkway into one character -though it's formatted like a small ensemble piece. Sure, we get to spend time with the other characters but their fates are anti-climactic and by the middle of the film, we could care less about them because they're poorly developed. Morgan Freeman, for instance...
Morgan Freeman's preacher character is the most enjoyable thing outside of the juvenile hellraisers he's responsible for. He plays a preacher that makes clubgoers sit through a 15 minute sermon in exchange for parking their cars in his garage in a gritty urban neighborhood, i.e. bad. Freeman shines in this role, straying from his usual idealistic undertones his past characters have taken. He's gruff, fast, and tough. And his humour is directly on point everytime. Yet, his storyline fizzles out too quickly and we never reach the conclusion we want with him because Ed Solomon's more concerned about other things at present.
Holly Hunter (one of the most amazing actresses our time) is completely wasted as the sister of the man Thornton shot. She's wallpaper, and her resolution with Thornton is creative, but again, feels like a false-start that we're watching just die, writing wise. She's too easy and Holly is never that easy in her films. No depth.
Billy Bob is great in the role, but what else is new. His expertise at playing standoffish yet accessible men is always refreshing but it seems Solomon couldn't make up his mind about whether the character was the victim of optimism or pessimism. His storyline is the only one treated to a fair shake and his chemistry with every one else is well crafted, though it seems he never reaches the inner pinnacle of his performance as he's done in other films. He's very one note, then he's not. He's very sorry, then he's not so very sorry, but still weepy. Fans of Thornton will want to rip their hair out over this performance, I'm sure. Though like I said, we reach a justified end with him.
Roger Deakins' cinematography can't be beat and stands as the second great benchmark of this film (1 of 2). With Deakins you can't go south. He'll always seem to make your film glow, even when it doesn't earn it. He's the patron saint of beautiful images. Solomon must've begged him.
All in all, LEVITY makes you want to watch it. Are you happier or better afterwards? I don't know, I'm still thinking about it 12 hours later but I'm thinking about why I'm thinking so hard about it. Freeman is the reason to watch this film. Period.
Movie Review: Meh
Summary: 2 Stars
Take a few classic characters, shake them up in a Yahtzee, cup, roll them out, and you have this film. Let's see... there's the ex-con trying to find his way, the rough-and-ready preacher reaching out to kids with no direction, the poor little rich girl, the tough single mom and her no-account son. The settings are just as bad - the club in the 'hood frequented by rich kids from the burbs, the poor kids lose their basketball court to big bad construction men, the ex-con is forced to become a role model, little rich girl walks into the bunch of neighborhood kids, supposedly giving back as good as she gets (but none of them fall for her or try anything?), and don't forget tragically single mom falling right into bed with Mr. Ex-con after he seemingly turns her son around. Have to admit, I was surprised by two things - Mr. Ex-con did not bed rich white girl (she sure seemed willing), and preacher man was not quite what he seemed.
The thing to do is write a movie about Preacher Man/Man on the run, have the timeline overlap with this film - now THAT might get somewhere...
Movie Review: Pointless and Boring
Summary: 1 Stars
When I put this movie in my DVD player, I was expecting a heist with cool characters and snappy dialogue. Obviously I was way off! As the film unravelled ever so slowly, it just got more and more confusing, stupid, and pointless, and it stayed boring. Morgan Freeman's character didn't make sense and didn't have a point or a reason. The same was the case with Kirstin Dunst. I just can't believe that four big named (some highly acclaimed) actors would play these roles. I also can't believe that I sat through this entire movie. All in all, Levity was horrible and torturous. I would rather watch paint dry than watch this again. It is obviously not something that children would want to see, nor would they enjoy. It's R rating reflects a noticable amount of profanity.Movie Review: Good idea, badly executed
Summary: 1 Stars
Didn't even bother finishing this. Acting is fine - lots of great actors, story just takes itself far too seriously and turns you off quickly. Morgan Freeman, as usual, is very annoying. If you're a fan of Morgan Freeman, it's unlikely you will dislike this movie.