The Quiet American
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Movie Reviews of The Quiet American
Movie Review: ..........Those Big Dark Almond Eyes........To Die For.......
Summary: 5 Stars
Michael Caine does it again as a English journalist in 1952 Vietnam when France was still in-charge of 'their' colony....Caine has a marvelous, tranquill lifestyle here, writing timely war encounters back to his London newspaper by day and by nite cohabitating with a simply gorgeous Vietnamise knockout, who thinks he is her King in all senses of hedonism and beyond...enter a seemingly unheralded USA doctor and both men become friends through thick an thin encounters along the way...I won't go into the plot any deeper...by doing such...you can emerge yourself into this engrossing/interesting film....but one thing is for sure...you won't dare take your eyes off Do Thi Hai Yen...WOW!!!...talk about heaven with her under heaven...'those big dark almond eyes to die for and then some'...enjoy a darn good movie for a change....SSGT CHRIS SARNO-USMC FMFMovie Review: A Masterful Adaption with Great Performances
Summary: 5 Stars
I've always loved Michael Caine from ALFIE to THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING to DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS(!) to his Oscar-winning performances and he's always been great--whether the movie was any good or not. Watching him in this latest version of Graham Greene's novel, I had the feeling that Caine was firing on all pistons this time out. This is definitely one of his best roles.
And Brendan Fraser has really stepped up from the kind of movies everyone is used to seeing him in. Who knew that anyone associated with a Pauly Shore movie--ugh--could come so far. He was very good in GODS AND MONSTERS and I thought he was outstanding in BEDAZZLED (even if you weren't that wild about the movie, he was really funny and he really made it work). And he's the perfect Alden Pyle, the "quiet American" and Michael Caine's romantic rival in 1950s Vietnam.
I've recently read the novel and was blown away that Greene could write such a powerful, multi-layered story that predicted the whole Vietnam war mess for the USA--over ten years before we entered that war!
If you really want to appreciate how good this movie is, read Greene's original novel and then watch the film. There isn't an ounce of fat on the screen and this is really one of the best adaptions I've seen of a book-to-movie transition. You get that rare feeling that the filmmakers actually READ the book they're making a movie about.
Beautifully photographed, meticulously written, wonderfully acted--definitely check this out.
Movie Review: Classic adaptation of a classic book
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a faithful adaptation of one of the English language's great books. Every scene is precise, Michael Caine fully earned his Academy Award nomination, and Brendan Frasier -- and unlikely casting, certainly -- shows that he's a real actor, not just a bland, pretty face. The photography is excellent and gives a good feel for Vietnam. One of my favorites.Movie Review: EXCELLENT BUT ANTI-AMERICAN AT HEART(* * * 1/2)
Summary: 3 Stars
A huge Michael Caine fan, I admire his performance in THE QUIET AMERICAN as Thomas Fowler, a mature in years British correspondent in 1950's French Vietnam. Brendan Fraser does a solid job as Alden Pyle, a young American who falls in love with Fowler's Vietnamese girlfriend. (Mr. Fraser is excellent as the swashbuckling, romantic, funny male lead in THE MUMMY.) THE QUIET AMERICAN is a love triangle movie but it is also a political film and, unfortunately, it is at heart an anti-American film. The film basically condemns American efforts to organize native Vietnamese forces against the communists, which seems necessary since the French at the time were losing the war against the communists. I can't really say more about the political aspects of the movie without giving away the plot, except to say that the dramatic tone and emotional weight of THE QUIET AMERICAN make Americans the villians of the piece without little, if any, logical foundation. If you don't much like American proactive foreign policies, you will probably like this film a lot. If you are pro-American you may be disappointed at the bitter tone here. That aside, THE QUIET AMERICAN nevertheless is a beautifully filmed period piece with lots of authentic-feeling sets and excellent acting. It is a poetic movie in some ways and worth seeing for the excellent script and high production values. And for Michael Caine. The director, Philip Noyce, made PATRIOT GAMES, another well-made movie. Movie Review: The Too Quiet American
Summary: 2 Stars
This movie was/is touted as being one of the best, early era Vietnam movies of all time. Unfortunately, I found it to be very slow and drawn out. There was very little war related action, a shallow story line, and way too much relationship action between Michael Caine's and Brendan Fraser's characters vying for the attention of the heroine, Do Thi Hai Yen. Really - when would Michael Caine and Brendan Fraser EVER be in contention for the same woman?
Way too close to being an all out chick-flick for this viewer, but if you liked "The English Patient" (y-a-w-n) then you will probably like this movie. If you liked "Saving Private Ryan", you're probably going to sleep through this one.