I saw 'Bobby' on DVD this weekend.
I thought it was really very good. If I was being critical, I would say it is perhaps a little over-reverential of the subject matter but the pluses outweigh any concerns like that.
It's like a 'Grand Hotel' story where the stories of all the characters of this hotel, from management to bus-boys to celebrity guests, are revealed through the course of the film. It is also a bit like a disaster movie where we usually see a little of the people's lives before the disaster strikes.
In this case, though, the disaster doesn't strike until the final reel and the foreknowledge of what is going to happen, coupled with the impact of the event on all these characters ( who we now know quite well) is very powerful.
It reminded me of 'Crash' too - a strong emsemble piece with great performances all round and, ultimately,a moving elegy for a movement that effectively died on that day.
For me Laurence Fishbourne walks away with the acting honours. He only has a couple of scenes but this fleeting appearance, particularly in the 'baseball ticket' scene, is apt and quite moving.
No fireworks here but a good solid film with a nobel heart.
No comments:
Post a Comment