The Weight of Water
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Movie Reviews of The Weight of Water
Movie Review: Adequately Captures the Atmosphere of the Novel
Summary: 3 Stars
If I hadn't already read the novel by Anita Shreve upon which this film is based, I think I would have found the switching back and forth from the turn of the century to the present offsetting. As I anticipated the older story and the parallel emotions its discovery brings to the surface in the modern story, I found Bigelow's technique sufficiently expert to convey the story's message and tone.As in the book, Jean, a photojournalist is married to Thomas an award winning poet. Jean has been assigned the task of photographing the environs of the isolated islands off the coast of Maine and New Hamphire, where two horrific murders occurred over a century before. As she, Thomas, her brother-in-law and her brother-in-law's too attractive girlfriend, Adaline, sail along the treacherous coastline, the audience infers by the foursome's moody dialogue and the flirtatious yet melancholy interplay between Thomas and Adaline---punctuated with plenty of ice clinking in drinks--- that Jean and Thomas's marriage is lacking in some arena that is never quite explored.
The absence in the film of Thomas and Jean's daughter, Billie removes a dimension to the plot which would have added irony to the overall outcome---although the movie works well enough without Billie's presence.
Jean, intent on the task of photographing the island locale where the murders occurred, becomes obsessed when she discovers a diary written by the murders only witness---a young Norwegian immigrant named Marin. As Jean reads the document, and it plays out for us in multiple visits to the past, we sense a similiarity between the yearning of both characters, past and present. The movie ends with the same cataclysmic happening that occurs in the book with one very relevant difference and twist of tragedy.
I didn't like Sean Penn as Thomas; I envisioned Thomas as a more economic human being who uses poetry to express what he ordinarily could never convey without breaking. Sean is too large a persona to get across that still-waters-run-deep quality I believe Thomas possessed in the novel. McCormack portrays an edgier Jean---more frazzled with a cigarette smoking intensity that was unfortunately not softened by the presence of the child. Hurley too overtly flirtatious---Adaline of the novel was less conscious of her beauty and its ability to seduce--it was more second nature rather than worked. Sarah Polley undoubtably gets my vote for best player---she emotes without speech--her loneliness is as evident as the lone house against the backdrop of the crashing waves---far from civilization and any real human warmth.
Watching this film will certainly provoke some conversational aftermath---and for this I recommend it--even if the conversation that ensues only compares the film with the book.
Movie Review: Weighty, and Watery. Great Moments Better Than Whole.
Summary: 3 Stars
This film tells two stories. The first, a murder mystery occurring in what appears to be 19th century New England in an immigrant community. The second, the story of two couples - brothers played by Sean Penn and Josh Lucas with, respectively wife (Catherine McCormack) and girlfriend (Elizabeth Hurley) - on a short holiday somewhat casually investigating the matter as they sail around the locale. The timelines are well demarcated cinematically through color and sound (with a couple of odd cuts), and this film will appeal to fans of the neo-noir/mystery genre, as well as folks who like to watch Elizabeth Hurley walk around barely clad. There are some interesting relationships between the past and present storylines, well-filmed parallel stormy crescendos, and some worthy dialogue (such as the extended conversation between McCormake and Hurley about Penn's character).
I liked Mccormack as Penn's troubled photographer wife. She and Ciaran Hinds as the creepy accused murderer in the flashbacks were the bright spots in this film for me. Sarah Polley put in a typically good effort as a gray, twisted, perpetually disappointed young bride in a hard new world. Hurley was hired to ooze naughtiness in this film, and that's what she did by sucking and nibbling on every small object at hand and stroking herself so much that I'd have expected a related rash or friction burn. Was Penn's character an ogling, self-obsessed, unlikeable poet or a grand, tortured poet-soul? "Talent excuses cruelty." Josh Lucas just sort of handsomely floated around the periphery of the troubled threesome for most of the film, and Vinissa Shaw floated through the middle of the earlier timeline as Polley's naive and very sweet sister-in-law.
In the end, there were lots of moments that I liked, but the whole thing left me with a few unscratched itches and that feeling that, like a few of the characters, I'd been quickly diddled and then left alone.
Movie Review: Worth watching, but with serious defects.
Summary: 3 Stars
The 19th century story is beautifully filmed and acted, and deserves 5 stars on its own merits. Sarah Polley in particular does a terrific job as the Norwegian immigrant incestuous lesbian ax-murderer. The location filming on the Isles of Shoals was spectacular.
The 20th century story is visually beautiful, with lots of sun, skin, and sailboats, but it wasn't filmed at the Isles of Shoals - people don't go swimming out there without a wet suit, even in the summertime. It's the North Atlantic, remember?
The acting is spotty and the plot is incoherent. The storm episode does not hang together. Why no life vests for the men? Why no safety lines? Why does Hurley climb out of the hatch in the middle of a storm - is she psychotic?
Sean Penn plays Sean Penn very well, but he is not credible as the anguished poet. Elizabeth Hurley is absolutely delicious to look at, which alone may provide sufficient motivation for some to see this movie. Katherine McCormack does neurosis reasonably well.
It's an interesting film, worth seeing for the 19th century murder-drama and for the view of Hurley's nude torso.
Movie Review: Barely worth watching
Summary: 3 Stars
Liz Hurley has her top off 4 or 5 times; there is incest, lesbian love between sisters-in-law, the main character's husband is having an affair with his brother's girlfriend who really isn't his brother's girlfriend, she actually is his girlfriend that was coming along on the boat trip pretending to be his brother's girlfriend so she could meet his wife who happens to be having some psychic connection with a "solved incorrectly" murder from 125 years ago on an island with some Norwegian people. And honest to god the movie is boring. Sean Penn broods, leers, pains, and smokes cigarettes, and looks like he's thinking about acting; his wife is played by Catherine McCormack who is like a young Charolette Rampling, very watchable but condemned to a weak role; Liz Hurley acts very vampy and takes her top off (unforgettable): All this and the movie drags, and drags. Liz stops taking her top off at the 1/3 mark which then forces you to realize how bad the movie is. The parallel stories just don't come off. Actually it is a one star movie, Liz taking her top off and teasing the boys boots it one extra star and a half.Movie Review: HALF AND HALF
Summary: 3 Stars
THE WEIGHT OF WATER is one of those movies using parallel story lines, hopefully in an attempt to give its audience a reason for the comparative storylines. This movie, however, fails to really do that. The murder mystery set in 1870s New Hampshire is riveting, and Sarah Polley is marvelous as young Maren, the woman caught up in a double murder. Ciaran Hinds is also very good as the accused boarder who is sentenced to death for the crimes. Unfortunately, the present day storyline is so muddled and weakly performed that we never fully understand how the two storylines could ever possibly tie together. Sean Penn gives one of his worst performances in this film, having no energy or conviction in his role; Elizabeth Hurley tries to look sexy, and succeeds, but who is this woman? Catherine McCormack doesn't help matters, with her self-absorbent performance, and only Josh Lucas in a throwaway role as Penn's brother redeems himself. If the whole movie had been as engrossing as the period piece, it would have been a real winner. As it is, though, it's merely a showcase for Sarah Polley.