The Laramie Project
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Movie Reviews of The Laramie Project
Movie Review: a must watch
Summary: 4 Stars
The Laramie Project is a film about a homosexual boy who was brutally murdered in a small town in Wyoming, and the film centers around the interviews from the people around town and the segments connected to the murder...
however, the interviews are actually not from the real people who went through the ordeal- it's all been remade with actors and actresses. FAMOUS actors and actresses might I add. I must have recognized at least 6 different people starring in the film.
The storytelling does gradually improve after the first 30 minutes, and the ending segment is the one that shocks me the most because it's about the murdered victims father inside a courtroom giving an honest and emotional speech, and I've never heard a speech move me quite *this* hard.
The people who killed the boy show just heartless they truly are, so the film will probably spend quite a lot of time surprising and shocking you. You just don't expect people to reach a level of hatred *this* extreme, however it's true, since this terrible murder is based on a true story that really did happen over 10 years ago.
Expect to see a movie dominated with a bunch of interviews involving actors playing the roles of the victims friends and family and several people around town. It's a real eye opener as far as how disturbing and thoughtless people can be when they reach a level of uncontrollable anger that translates into immediate violence.
Movie Review: The play is better....
Summary: 4 Stars
I think my title gives it all away: the play version of The Laramie Project is MUCH MUCH better then the movie. Its longer, its more indepth, and it conveys the feelings of the Laramie residents better. Because of the formatt, I think that The Laramie Project is just a better play (I've seen it twice and own a copy) then it makes a film.
That said, if you are someone who hates to read, this film will get the job done. It will make you cry (in particular, when the girl in the headscarf is talking about owning this crime) but some of the moments come off a little stilted and melodramatic to me (like the whole first 10 minutes basically). I love that the film is actually shot in Laramie, so you see the counthouse where the boys who murdered him were tried and you see the fence he was tied to. That makes a better set then anything Hollywood could build. And the cast is excellent, many great vetran actors and talented younger people. The story is so powerful that it earns a 4 stars from me, dispite being a too short and melodramatic.
As a DVD, I would have wanted more featurettes on the shoot, Laramie and the people from the play. There were two short ones, but I felt as though it wasn't enough. There is no commentary which is disapointing.
In conclusion, if you want to get The Laramie Project, read the play. If you are too lazy to read the play, the movie will get it done.
Movie Review: Worthy Viewing
Summary: 4 Stars
I did not see the play, but adapting any stage production to a tv movie is usually a losing task. I thought the incredible cast that did a good job with what could have easily been diluted to conventional tv movie subject matter. Very few cast members have traditionally leading roles. The smaller one or two scene actors are just as, if not more, effective as the bigger roles. The reactions from townspeople in Laramie were no doubt honest - regardless of which side they came down on in right/wrong of certain individuals. Laura Linney, Tom Bower, Amy Madigan and Lois Brown were real stand-outs in portraying these feelings. Though I thought Steve Buscemi, Christina Ricca and Janeane Garafalo did fine jobs - there was nothing stellar about their performances. And whoever thought that guy from 'Suddenly Susan' would ever work again? I found Terry Kinney's performance as Matthew Shepard's father to be forced and poorly acted - and he's great in 'Oz'.
It's worth a watch - whether on HBO or buying or renting the DVD.
Movie Review: A Must See
Summary: 4 Stars
I found this movie to be an excellent perspective on the Matthew Shepherd murder. I used it in a group discussion of the issues surrounding this event. The participants in the discussion were all teenagers, and they responded energetically to the issues raised by the film.
Unlike some of the other reviewers, we did not find the use of actors to portray the citizens of Laramie detracted from the film at all. In fact, we were in agreement that the portrayals were very good and conveyed the emotions of the residents far better than the residents themselves may have been able to in front of a camera.
I highly recommend this film to anyone interested in the Matthew Shepherd murder, as well as to all who are involved in discussions around the issues of human sexuality and sexual orientation.
Movie Review: review of laramie project
Summary: 4 Stars
a good film which exposes the biased opinions of many americans in a small town named laramie. laramie can be viewed as a metaphor for ultra conservative thinking in many parts of america, and indeed, the world and matthew shepard as the object/scapegoat of those prejudices. the motto "live and let live" which is mentioned a few times in the film is a cliche which many people give lip service to but do not actually practice.
it gives the viewer the opportunity to reflect his/her own prejudices and not only does it have to be limited to views and opinions concerning homosexuality, but can be expounded to include all types of haughty and proud thinking and behavior, which, at one time or another, we are all susceptible to.