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LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated The Devil's Own (1997) in Movies

Jul 4, 2021

The Devil's Own (1997)

1997 | Action, Drama, Mystery

6.5

(6 Ratings)

Movie Rating

I don't know what's worse: a film that's underwritten and knows it, or a film which sets up such thought-provoking themes only to immediately ditch them by the wayside (which this one is). It's so frustrating how this had most of the elements just on principle alone to be really, really good and it still wasn't. Seemingly intentionally unexciting, so much so that Brad Pitt's middle-schooler-impression-of-Daniel-Day-Lewis-from-𝘐𝘯-𝘵𝘩𝘦-𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦-𝘰𝘧-𝘵𝘩𝘦-𝘍𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 accent is actually the best part of it. Gets semi-engaging in the last 45 minutes if only because it finally gets some of the right look + feel for what this wants to be, but even then it's got no bite and is disgustingly pro-cop (a cop who shot dead an unarmed victim multiple times then tried to force everyone to cover it up and doesn't regret it can be redeemed without doing anything!). Poises itself to go over issues of oppression, nationalism, trauma, violence, and what happens when they all intersect - but never does. Harrison Ford is so bland here, too. Doesn't even care about its own story, what a fucking shame. This really coulda been something.

Kudos

LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated Saved! (2004) in Movies

Sep 21, 2020

Saved! (2004)

2004 | Comedy, Drama

8.7

(3 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Absolutely delightful, not only seismically subversive for its day - but not even a percentile less so even today. A black-as-night religious comedy/satire that's able to present the flaws of Christianity to light without making the claim to outright judge it nor be obnoxiously Ricky Gervais about its criticisms. Beyond that its just fucking hilarious, and insanely clever (even down to the briefest of sidegags ["I'm a rollerskate"]) - not to mention it has a huge heart and deeply impassioned, authentic care for its characters wants (*all* of whom are excellent, and are juggled together perfectly with an economy of which is sadly not seen frequently enough in teen comedies) with an uncommon narrative sensitivity. Never overstays its welcome and has a note-perfect tonal balance, as well as a roundhouse kick of memorably consummate performances (between this, those "DRYVRS" videos, and the similarly outstanding 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘺 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 I'm convinced Macaulay Culkin should *only* act in sardonic depravity). Mainly just have to applaud this for its application of more than just the easy targets which many films of the genre today fall victim to again and again. Love it.