Nobody's Fool
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Movie Reviews of Nobody's Fool
Movie Review: Definitive Newman....Delightful Miss Tandy....Delicious Film
Summary: 5 Stars
This review refers to the Paramount DVD edition of "Nobody's Fool".....The irresistable Paul Newman, in a role that was tailor made for him and the always wonderful Jessica Tandy(in her final feature film performance) will steal your heart(as if they haven't already)in the life affirming dramadey, "Nobody's Fool". The rest of the cast are no slouches either. It includes Bruce Willis, Melanie Griffith,Josef Summer, Phillip Seymour Hoffman,Dylan Walsh and a performance by youngster Alexander Goodwin that will have you in awe of his extraordinary talent.
Wintry upstate New York is the setting for the story. "Sully"(Newman) is an aging down on his luck, jack of all trades(master of none),regular guy. He just can't seem to get a leg up... figuratively and literally(arthritis is getting the best of him).His life seems to be in a shambles. Abandoning his wife and son years earlier, still trying to eek out a living for himself,constantly seeming to have minor run-ins with the local police are his day to day exsistence. Yet with all these dark clouds over his head,there doesn't seem to be one person in this little community who could get along without him. When his now adult son and young grandson come back into his life, he now has a chance to do something right.It's a heartwarming and funny view and Newman will charm you right out of your socks!
The transfer to DVD is excellent. It is presented in widescreen(you won't miss a bit of the scenery),with a nice crisp, clear picture and beautiful colors. For sound you have a choice of Dolby Digital 5.1, or stereo surround and has English subtitles for those that may need them. I had a little technical problem with my copy. I could not seem to delete the subtitles no matter what I did. Although this is something that didn't bother me too much, if this happens it may be annoying if you are not used to watching with subtitles.I'm pretty sure though that this is probably a fluke and my copy only because I haven't seen any other complaints on this issue.Maybe the next reviewer can mention whether or not their copy was also affected.Other than that, it's a great view. There are no special features,but a film that will leave you smiling the rest of the day(that was bonus enough for me).
Directed and written for the screen by Robert Benton("Kramer vs Kramer"/"Places In The Heart"), with engaging music by Howard Shore, this captivating film is a must have for Newman fans.His superb performance garnered him Best Actor awards from the Berlin Int. Film Fest.(Silver Bear), the National Society of Film Critics and the New York Film Critics as well. It's a feel good story that's great to watch anytine life throws you a little curve! It is rated "R" for language and some nudity.
Definitive, Delightful, Delicious!
Thanx and enjoy....Laurie
Movie Review: That extra 1 or 2 percent!
Summary: 5 Stars
Someone once said that the difference between being " Very Good " and being " GREAT " is perhaps 1 or 2 percent. Alot of people are very good, but few are great. They just don't have that extra 1 or 2 percent. This movie, and Paul Newman, have that little extra, which moves them up into the GREATNESS category. Watching Mr. Newman " act " on the screen is similar to watching any great art form. You know it's terrific, you know it's perfect, yet you don't know quite how it's done. Perhaps the reason you can't figure it out is because when Mr. Newman " acts " he somehow transforms himself into that character. You cease thinking it's Paul Newman up there, and actually believe it's "Sully ", a worn out, down on his luck man, who, while watching this movie, reminded me so much of my late father that it truly was scarey. After viewing this movie, you simply cannot fathom anyone other than Mr.Newman in that role.
The facial expressions, the pauses, the movements of Mr. Newman are the indescribable little subtleties that show why he is a movie legend.( Folks, it doesn't get any better than this).
The movie is shot in just the right town, with just the cast, and just the right emotion. In my opinion, it is one of the 10 or 15 best movies I've ever seen. It's the kind of movie that makes you feel good inside, sort of like comfort food for the soul.
Movie Review: Finally! A Great Small Film is On DVD
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a touching film about small town failures who don't realise how many people count on them and how important their lives really are. Watching this movie you feel part of this blue collar, down and out town. Paul Newman's performance is among the very best he has ever given. He plays Sully with a irreverence and subtle sense of humor that makes this sometimes employed construction worker with a bum knee one of his most heartfelt characters. Jessica Tandy is his landlady who can see in Sully the heart and the man he truly is. There are fine performances by Bruce Willis and Dylan Walsh as his son Peter. Peter has just been fired from his job as a college English teacher and has driven with his wife and two children to spend Thanksgiving with Sully's ex-wife. Sully had abandoned the family when his son was growing up. But as the movie develops so does a bond and understanding between the two men. The most touching scenes are between Sully and his grandson.The adaptation of Richard Russo's book is excellent. It captures both the comedy and the emotion of the novel. The photography captures the feel of a small town in the dead of winter. The movie pulls you in and moves you in special ways. You come to like Sully and understand him. In a way it also help you understand yourself. It is a movie well worth seeing. A small movie with a big heart.
Movie Review: A Classic and Possibly for the Holidays, Too!
Summary: 5 Stars
Teaser: An unsung classic of a film, deep, heartwarming, and brilliantly acted. Set between Thanksgiving and New Year in snowy upstate NY, the film could be a part of your holiday film library.
Plot: Paul Newman is Donald Sullivan, a 60-year-old odd-job man in a small, hardscrabble town. His tangled web of relationships with sometime employer Bruce Willis, landlady Jessica Tandy, and a host of colorful locals slowly emerges and it turns out that na'er-do-well Sully actually is a vital component of his community.
Acting: Just superb. Newman is at his best and in her final role, Tandy is brilliant. Willis, Melanie Griffith and Pruitt Taylor Vince is full of pathos as best friend Rub Squeers. The supporting cast is also scintillating. Of special note is an early role for Capote star Philip Seymour Hoffman, as local police bumpkin Werner.
Best Feature: The script-- the Newman-Tandy repartee is great and the Newman-Willis dialogue just crackles. There are enough memorable lines to make you want to take notes.
Also of note: Good cinematography lends an authentic ambience and the semi-Celtic soundtrack is pleasant without being manipulative.
Reviewer note: I grew up in the area where this movie was filmed. It's 'on the mark' and looks and feels genuine.
Movie Review: I bore Sully's children
Summary: 5 Stars
NONONO. Not Paul Newman, but the character he played, Sully. I cannot tell you how many people said he had nailed the charming ne'er do well, and Bruce Willis channelled his best friend, for whom he worked. His children love him, I love him, I just can't live with him anymore. This was the story of my life for many years, a man drifting from job to job, helping others before his own family, and shrugging at the consequences. Paul Newman deserved the Oscar for this performance. It is criminal he was not awarded it. He was brilliant, and this will be recognised years later as one of those losses that was probably the result of the movie not being a big box office draw. I have worn out my vhs, and am ordering the dvd. This is a must see, a must have for any intelligent connoisseur of fine cinema. It is a poignant, gentle tale, with more than a dash of humour. I should also add that I vividly remember the cold and very snowy winter this movie was made, and the news from the set because I live near where it was filmed. Normally I would not mind signing my name, but I am hesitant, since "Sully's" current girlfriend reads all of these things and she has been blaming me for not granting him a divorce. In typical Sully passive-aggressive fashion, he has treated that too with a wink.