Nuts
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Movie Reviews of Nuts
Movie Review: No Underestimating That Streisand (i.e. N.U.T.S.)
Summary: 3 Stars
... It's themes echo those in Streisand's own life: speaking out for what you believe; sexism; challenging the system; and child sexual and emotional abuse.NUTS is a difficult movie in Streisand's career. She's trying really hard in this film to provide a dramatic performance. And Streisand does a great job! She has some wonderful moments in NUTS. I think some of the problems, however, lie in the script - or maybe in the U.S. court system! ...
The supporting cast is incredible - a who's who of old-school Method acting. Karl Malden plays against type in his role as Claudia's stepfather - his revelatory scene with Streisand brings chills. Maureen Stapleton and Eli Wallach turn in fine performances too, although Mr. Wallach is given the thankless task of playing "therapist bad guy."
My overall impression with NUTS is that it is "old-fashioned" in acting style and presentation. It is gloriously photographed and everyone speaks beautifully. If it were made by a different director and starred different actors, then NUTS would be a completely different show. For instance, imagine Debra Winger (orginally aligned with the project) as Claudia.
The point with Streisand is that her films and concerts are all performance art - variations on a theme: her life. Her fans (of which I am one) appreciate this. It's not so much that Streisand succeeds or fails at playing a prostitute. It's that, cognizant or not, she chose a role that dealt with the abuse from a step father and the mending of a relationship with a mother - two themes in Streisand's own personal life. And Streisand plays a character that's not very likable because she speaks her mind and annoys everyone around her - much like Streisand in her professional life as well.
I find the film fascinating on those levels.
Movie Review: An absorbing, well-made film with some show-offy acting...
Summary: 3 Stars
A high-class call-girl, who killed a customer in self-defense, must prove her sanity in a courtroom hearing after her embarrassed parents try to have her declared incompetent. Not a subtle courtroom piece, but a well-made, absorbing one. Barbra Streisand is, of course, Barbra Streisand, using her show-biz energy and clever wiles to flesh out the pretty much intolerable Claudia Draper(great character name, by the way). Richard Dreyfuss not only gives a strong performance as her court-appointed attorney, but he does double-duty keeping Streisand in check(that should've have been the director's job, but the fabulous Martin Ritt is curiously lax here). The patchy plot is full of soapy melodrama, but the colorful supporting cast and some neat editing tricks keeps everything interesting. Streisand's full-length commentary is pro-and-con: she only chimes in once in awhile, and when she gets stuck on a detail tangent, many opportunities for insight slip by.Movie Review: Entertaining, but only fair
Summary: 2 Stars
A great cast, but sort of a hokey and predictable plot. It totally has the feel of an adapted play. It's entertaining once, but that's about it. I think the thing was way overdone on Streisand's character making her own decisions and the whole "crazy" thing was just too much and the audience was beaten over the head too often with these themes. It wasn't adapted too well from the stage, that is what plays often do. Also, the whole premise of a 40-ish Streisand playing a successful high class call girl made this an unintentional comedy. The scene where she lists what she charges for doing what, I almost starting laughing outloud as the hilarity of anyone paying someone with her looks and age that much money. And the scenes where she tries to act like a sexy vamp, in both flashbacks, in court, and with her attorney, are equally hilarious. Streisand was miscast here, big time. She needs to stick with Fanny Bryce-type roles, or play women where looks are not dependent on the character. Streisand is not nearly as bad looking as people make her out, and has aged well, but a successful 40-ish high class call girl is just too much of a stretch. It's a meaty role I imagine she really wanted, but you have to be at least fairly attractive/hot to pull it off. She's not.
Movie Review: Lost in post
Summary: 1 Stars
I have ordered the same movie again as the one i am referring to now got lost in the post. maybe Amason can do something to ensure that delivery actually takes place.Movie Review: Horrible Movie!!
Summary: 1 Stars
This one is just plain awful!! It's a bunch of Hollywood brats being histrionic.