Simpatico
by Matthew Warchus
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Albert Finney, Catherine Keener, Jeff Bridges, Nick Nolte, Sharon StoneDirector: Matthew Warchus
Writer: Matthew Warchus
Producer: Chuck Binder
Producer: Dan Lupovitz
Producer: Greg Shapiro
Producer: Jean-François Fonlupt
Writer: David Nicholls
Writer: Sam Shepard
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 106 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2000-08-22
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: New Line Home Video
Movie Reviews of Simpatico
Movie Review: Buried Secrets Unearthed
Summary: 4 Stars
This review refers to the New Line Home Video DVD edition of "Simpatico".......
Successful Kentucky horsebreeder, Lyle Carter(Jeff Bridges) is just about to make the deal of his life, when his past comes back to haunt him. A phone call from old friend Vinny Webb(Nick Nolte) puts the Kabash on everything. The cryptic call has all the sounds of blackmail! Lyle puts everything on hold and rushes out to California, to "help out" his old friend. Vinny has a plan though, that leaves Lyle alone and paranoid. Paranoid, that Vinny will spill the goods on a crime that along with "Rosie"(Sharon Stone),the three committed more than 20 years earlier.
The story of corruption in the horse racing industry unfolds in a series of tense flashbacks, played intuitively by the younger counterparts of the three, Liam Waite, Shawn Hatosy, and Kimberly Williams. The memories that they have tried to bury come flooding back, along with the pain and guilt of the lives they ruined. Will they be able to cope with these secrets for the rest of their lives or will the deeds of the past destroy their lives?
I seem to be in the minority, but I was impressed with first time director Matthew Warchus' style. It drew me in right away with it's Noir-like qualities and intriguing characters. I've watched it several times and never seem to tire of it. It is based on Sam Shepard's play(which I haven't seen, so I can't compare the two). The great cast, I'm sure helps tremendously, but don't look for Sharon Stone until about an hour in. Albert Finney as the immoral victim of the scam is marvelous as always, but Catherine Keener as, Vinny's girlfriend, the somewhat naive but only honest person of the bunch, really steals the show with her superb performance.
If you like a good drama, with just a touch of humor and interesting character studies, this is a good one. With all the various degress of reviews here, you might want to rent it first(I also sometimes see that is is played on some of the cable movie channels) to see if you like it. If you have already seen it, and know you like it, I can tell you that the DVD looks and sounds great. From Churchill Downs to the outskirts of Southern California the colors and picture are an quality outstanding. You have the choice of widescreen or a fullscreen format(This choice pops up right before the start of the film). You can also choose between Dol Dig 5.1 or Stero surround(audio set-up for this).Don't look for too much in the way of "bonus" material. There is a theatrical trialer and filmographies of the stars. The only subtitles and language are English.
Give it a try and decide for yourself....thank you...Laurie
recommended:
Ulee's Gold
Summary of Simpatico
This riveting drama shifts between the lives of three friends their dark past and a very lucrative deal being made on a triple crown winning thoroughbred simpatico. When vinnies paranoia about a horseracing scam from the past continues to haunt him carter attempts to keep him quiet to protect them. Studio: New Line Home Video Release Date: 02/03/2004 Starring: Sharon Stone Jeff Bridges Run time: 97 minutes Rating: R Director: Mathhew WarchusTopnotch casting fails to conceal a pointlessly tortuous and essentially empty Sam Shepard conceit; it's basically a rehash of themes from better Shepard plays about guilty secrets buried in the past. In this 1999 movie, Jeff Bridges plays Lyle, a slick Kentucky horse breeder about to make a career-topping sale of a prospective Derby winner (the title character, as it were). Lyle's youthful crony, Vinnie (Nick Nolte at his scuzziest), phones in from Rancho Cucamonga, California, with a blackmail threat--he'll reveal their shared secret unless Lyle helps him sort out his goofy love life. Lyle drops everything and heads west; Vinnie promptly steals Lyle's car, and essentially his identity, and drives east. Lyle's well-oiled existence starts coming apart; Vinnie meanwhile cleans up his act and struts his stuff among the racing set. Oh, the irony of it all.
In his filmmaking debut, British theater director Matthew Warchus strains to "cinematize" the play. This mostly means relentless crosscutting, with not only Lyle's and Vinnie's journeys being overlapped, but also fragmentary flashbacks in which the teenage Lyle, Vinnie, and Lyle's haunted wife (Sharon Stone) are played by Liam Waite, Shawn Hatosy, and Kimberly Williams. Only Albert Finney, as a racing official implicated in their old scam, appears in both time frames--with unintentionally grotesque results.
The complicated editing can't conceal that there's nothing complex, or compelling, about the characters' sins. Stone doesn't show up till the third act (a ploy that worked better onstage), and is outshone by the always-intriguing Catherine Keener playing the sweet-natured dim bulb who has lately won Vinnie's heart. Back-to-back Oscar winner John Toll photographed. --Richard T. Jameson
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