What happens when you take the wrong path
Added 11/6/2009
This is a story of a man whose life is deteriorating. Even his body is showing the effects of deterioration. Christian Bale lost a lot of weight for this role and the director took good advantage of this, using lighting to highlight every bone in his ribcage. Nicely done, although probably not good for Bale's health!
The color scheme in this movie lends a hand in illustrating how bleak this man's world has become. All the scenery around him is in bland gray tones. The only things in vivid color are the things he needs to pay attention to -- like the red car that keeps popping up out of nowhere, the red route 66 sign, the blue car that hits him.
But instead of paying attention to these signs, he instead chooses to see them as a threat...becoming paranoid with each encounter, thus driving away the people who care for him and driving himself crazy in the process.
The lighting in this movie also lent a hand in illustrating mood. I perceived the lighting to be too harsh -- especially at the machinery and at the airport -- and likened this to the sensation of being asleep and suddenly having the lights turned on. The blinding light shocks you awake...just like every time he tries to sleep, something keeps him staying awake.
And for good reason.
This is a strange movie that I don't see appealing to a wide audience. I know there were some parts that still confuse me, but overall, I still liked it. I enjoyed Christian Bale's performance as well as the overall mood of the film. There's a good lesson in here that shows what happens when you take the wrong path...and what happens when you stay there.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Ambient and stylish, but not exactly gripping.
Added 11/5/2009
My main gripe with this film is the story. When the expected unraveling of the protagonist's psyche begins, it just not, well, psychotic enough. Delusional, yes, which would be fine if this was just a guy with insomnia, but when the film starts suggesting that this isn't just merely a super-human lack of sleep disorder, I kept expecting it to tie the delusions together into some tapestry of insanity that we get to peek into. But none of the really interesting angles I was hoping for surfaced and I was instead left with many loose threads that seemed to lead only to delusion. And simple delusion, is, well, boring.
On the bright side, I can say that if you're anything like me, this film will inspire you to go take a good long nap. Yet, strangely, I can't imagine the filmmakers really hoping for reviews of "It put me right to sleep!" when they were working on it.
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Half of Christian Bale is still better than most
Added 9/30/2009
You know those days where you are dog-tired, can barely get out of bed, and go into zombie mode up until your lunch break? That's not tired. When compared to Trevor Reznick (Bale), a man whose guilt and paranoia has caused multiple years of a schizophrenic insomnia, those exhausting days are child's play.
Finding slight camaraderie from a factory co-worker, Miller (Michael Ironside), comfort in the bed of a hooker named Stevie (Leigh), and friendship from an airport waitress (Sanchez-Gijon), Reznick drags his emaciated skeleton throughout the day, almost embracing the starvation and insanity, ignoring his hunger and sleep deprivation. When Miller loses an arm in a work-related accident - a direct result of Reznick's hallucination-filled negligence - the world begins to crumble amidst habitual post-it notes, the disposal of a dead body, and a mysterious game of hangman.
Revealed through flashbacks and sleep distractions, the cause of Trevor's increasing alienation and withdrawal from reality receives a twist when he sees Ivan (John Sharian), a creepy colleague who nobody else can see. Convinced he's being plotted against, Trevor grows crazier until the very end. The clever blend of repressed memories and psychotic conceptions, it's Memento and Fight Club rolled into one.
First and foremost, this is a vehicle for Christian Bale's dedication to character acting. Literally destroying his own body, Bale looks like a concentration camp victim throughout the movie, and is completely believable as a person who hasn't slept in over a year. A growing self-awareness and guilt oozes from Bale's pores, as he absolutely nails the role. When a beautiful woman destroys her looks, she receives an award (Theron in Monster). When a man goes much further, he's overlooked. It's almost as disturbing as Bale's appearance in this film.
I, like Reznick, just want to find peace within this movie. On one hand I admire the dedication and bizarre storyline; conversely, however, there are several moments in which this movie drags. With the eerie cinematography, music, and dedication involved, this is an original movie deserving of praise. The only downfall is that it's a tad monotonous and boring at times, and the viewer ends up finding a slight insomnia cure from which Reznick suffers.
Jason Elin
2 out of 2 people found this helpful.
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This movie was good, not because i hold Christian Bale as an extremely desirable actor, but because he IS A DESIRABLE actor! He transforms his physical appearance dramatically for his role and it is amazing how in depth he gets into his roles.. you know what happens if you upset christian...
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Very dark and hard to watch.
Added 6/21/2009
This movie went around in circles and was very dark and hard to watch. As a matter of fact I never finished it. If you like creepy uncomfortable dark movies you will love this.
0 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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The Strait-Jacket
Added 9/5/2009
This movie is just waaaaay too far out for my tastes. The acting is good, but the subject matter is depressing and weird. Sorry, too weird for me!
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Time After Time After...
Added 2/21/2009
THE JACKET is sort of an interesting blend of JACOB'S LADDER, BUTTERFLY EFFECT, and ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND, w/ just a pinch of THE UGLY and 12 MONKEYS tossed in for seasoning. After being mortally wounded in the gulf war, Jack Starks (Adrien Brody) finds himself in a mental institution at the mercy of Dr. Becker (Kris Kristofferson). Starks has been accused of a murder he didn't commit and found to be insane. Becker uses a banned technique in order to "break" Starks. This method is actually a form of drug-induced torture that somehow allows Jack to travel forward in time. This leads him on a terrible journey of discovery where life, death, and reality are twisted and intersected. Brody is very convincing in his role, as are Keira Knightley (The Hole), Daniel Craig (Invasion), and Jennifer Jason-Liegh (The Hitcher, Single White Female). THE JACKET is a nice little mind-melter...
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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a hollywood blend...
Added 2/18/2009
Perhaps I'm being a little harsh with only 3 stars - but i felt something needed to be said about the many flaws within this movie...
First of all this review isn't going to moan about the supposed ending or pretentiously what 'I' think happens - that is best left for personal opinion - everyone is going to view the film differently.
The main issue i had with the film is that although the idea has potential - I didn't feel that it was reached fully within this film. The theme of time-travel is one that countless films have attempted, and so the very 'safe' approach that 'the jacket' takes, gives you somewhat dejavu. The film is a blend of unoriginal ideas taken from classics such as 'one flew over the cuckoos nest', 'jacob's ladder' and 'twelve monkeys', but alas lacks in the depth that these great movies had.
Definately worth watching, but don't expect anything special...but look out for Daniel Craig's role - that is definately worth watching for!!
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