trevormerrill Reviews

The Valet (2006)

Veber has done it again

[10/10 · 7 April 2006]

This laugh out loud comedy also has a lot of heart. Fans of The Dinner Game, The Closet, and Veber's other classic comedies can expect more of the same--a fall guy named Pignon, a hilarious case of mistaken identity, some touching moments of friendship, and a lot of shameless farce a la Moliere. But La Doublure offers a few new twists on the familiar Veber formula, including some fine satire of the fashion scene and a powerful commentary on the power of appearance and reputation to shape our desires. Some may say it's "just" entertainment--but like his great predecessors in the tradition of French farce and popular theater, Veber packs a lot of punch. This movie not only pleases, it also proves instructive about friendship, love, and the perils of becoming really rich. It's the director's best film to date and features great performances by Auteuil, Scott Thomas, and the rest of the star-studded cast.

The Best of Youth (2003)

A great movie-watching experience, uplifting and full of feeling

[10/10 · 11 February 2006]

I can't recommend this movie enough, for its panoramic view of Italian history from the sixties down to the present day, its interesting and sympathetic characters, its ability to integrate important historical events seamlessly into the story, and its ultimately uplifting atmosphere of joie de vivre. Everything that one loves about Mediterranean and especially Italian culture--the warmth, the brotherly love among male friends, and the culture of the family--is represented here without stereotypes or simulated emotion. One could call the film a melodrama (there are plenty of tears shed, and lots of tender moments, embracing, smiling, and so on, as well as a musical score that swells and sings sweetly) except that this movie isn't in the least manipulative or exaggerated in the way it portrays feelings. The story of two brothers and their family, friends, work, loves, and failures, is a magnificent hybrid of novelistic sweep and cinematic immediacy. The make-up work is also notable, as the actors are transformed from young men and women into grandparents in believable fashion. And the cinematography is nothing short of admirable.

Match Point (2005)

a terrific film

[9/10 · 3 January 2006]

Match Point is a cool, classically elegant and concise film that addresses all of the big questions--love, morality, death, fate, chance--without ever seeming heavy or self-conscious. I've never seen a Woody Allen film to match it. As a matter of fact, I can't remember another film of late that I thought was quite this good. From the opening shot, the film draws you in and doesn't let up, moving from shot to shot with a fine sense of rhythm and a narrative drive that builds the viewer's curiosity through a series of unexpected switchbacks. Rhys-Meyers is superb as an ex- professional tennis player from a poor Irish background who has turned social climber. Too proud to accept a favor from his upper class friends without immediately offering to pay it back, he affects an interest in opera and Strindberg. The viewer at once sympathizes with him and winces as he strains to seem refined and self-assured. Allen has put together a superb cast of young actors who bring his near flawless script to life so convincingly that one almost immediately suspends disbelief and becomes absorbed in the story. The shots of London are luxuriant and spacious, never self-indulgent. Few films, novels, or plays manage to form such rich dramatic material out of characters' inner obstacles. A classic piece of drama that reaches toward the likes of Shakespeare and Dostoevksy, every facet--from structure to dialog to editing to sound--is brought off with panache. This is not only Allen at his best but an example of what the cinematic medium is capable of when properly exploited.