BY MIKEY MIGO
Apparently this is a true story about an overly ambitious drug dealer. I like true stories about overly ambitious drug dealers. Really the only one that comes to mind is “Blow”, but I’m sure there are more and I’m sure I like them. The often awesome Rhys Ifans stars as Howard Marks, a British drug smuggler who takes his ambitions and sights a little high. He does well in his dealings between the middle east and his homeland, but once he attempts to get into the US market things fall apart. It’s a normal rise fast, fall faster type of bio pics that end on some big dramatic message. The type of bio pic that ends with flashes of text telling us what happens to everyone later. While I feel like a dick because that pretty much spoils the movie, it’s nothing you wouldn’t pick up as soon as it started. The story, even though it’s a true one, is played. The performances and style of the film is what saved this. Rhys Ifans, who may look a little too old, pulls this role off with ease. He’s charming and a good guy who just gets caught up in the drug slinging business. With him we have his love interest played by Chloe Sevigny. After watching the entire run of Big Love twice, it’s weird seeing her speak in an English accent and smoking weed. She rocks the role and made me forget any predetermined characteristics. That says a lot because I still call Robin Williams “Mork”. Along with them we have Crispen Glover and a slew of familiar faces. The style and direction of writer, director, editor Bernard Rose is what kept me so enthralled. There are points in the movie where it’s obvious they are using green screen, but it’s done in such a weird and surreal way that it just makes sense. It’s not “trippy” per sae, but it’s just really weird to look at. On top of that, there is just some really cool shots, really cool devices, and really cool movements. It keeps you on your toes and reminded me of Michel Gondry, but less cloudy… if that makes any sense. It’s a little long at two hours and one minute, but if you have the time there are way worse movies to spend them on. B
|
