Great film noir
Added 7/31/2009
I'm watching this film for about the 10th time as I write this. It is an interesting study of vengeance by the father of a murdered girl who comes to America to find and kill her murderers. There is an interesting subplot in which an older and unreleased film by Terence Stamp is used to show the backstory when he was a young man and his daughter was a child. This subplot finally explains what has happened in the modern story. It is similar and far superior to a recent film called "Taken." In both cases, the father, who has near superhuman skills, takes off after a man who has kidnapped or ( in the Limey's case) murdered his daughter. This is a better film but both are enjoyable. I can watch this one over and over. I'm not sure about the newer film.
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Masterpiece
Added 7/29/2009
Director Steven Soderbergh's 1999 so-called crime-action film, The Limey, is easily the best film of Soderbergh's that I've ever seen. Part of this is due to the innovative narrative structure that makes all but the most of the last few minutes of this great film a flashback, and the rest is due to an excellent script by screenwriter Lem Dobbs, whose other great success came a year earlier, in Alex Proyas's sci fi film Dark City. Both films, despite their seeming divergence, are acutely focused on human memory, and both deal with the fragility of such in novel ways. In fact, in rewatching The Limey on DVD, after six or seven years, and then watching it with the two available audio commentary tracks, I'm amazed to have seen something in the film that no other critic apparently has, and that is the fact that the viewer is never sure whether or not any or all of the remembered scenes depicted are, indeed, real (within the fictive cosmos the film resides in).
The 85 minute long film quickly sets up the idea that the protagonist, named simply Wilson (and seemingly the same character as that portrayed in Ken Loach's 1967 film Poor Cow (called either Dave, or Dave Wilson- I'm not sure for I've never seen that film, and there are conflicting accounts as to whether of not that character had both names revealed), and portrayed by Terence Stamp, is an ex-con out for revenge following the seeming accidental death of his daughter Jennifer (Melissa George- as an adult), a young woman who was living with a shady L.A.-based record mogul named Terry Valentine (Peter Fonda). Within the film's first ten minutes viewers get the first 'action' scene of violence, and already identify heavily with the lead character, Wilson. The bulk of the rest of the film is about Wilson's memories (or fantasies?) of his daughter, from the time he is on board a return flight from L.A to the U.K., and all the critics agree that the film is a series of memories, even if they disagree about what is the actual present time it displays. Some critics, as example, claim the airplane scenes represent flashforths, not flashbacks; some that seem to be chronological (although the scenes seem to be in proximate chronological groupings, not individually chronological), while others are not; but not a single critic seems to have ever questioned the verity of what Wilson's memories are, or, if indeed, they are strictly memories, and not fantasies. After all, this film is a 'revenge film,' and revenge is, next to sex, the top theme of fantasies. Of course, some would argue that the scenes from Poor Cow seem to imply Wilson is all that he claims to be. But we only get snippets of this. Is Wilson really an ex-con? Likely. Is he in L.A. looking for revenge? Likely. But after that, is anyone really sure what is memory and what is fantasy, and, indeed, if Wilson's 'memory' is accurate? The Limey is the rare example of that most overused and abused term, an utter cinematic masterpiece that explores memory as a thing in itself, as a way to communicate, as well as a form of regret. It asks serious queries of the human psyche- not just those of kind like what is good?, or what is evil?, but those of degree like what constitutes a crime?, and when does it become a crime?, as well as the aforementioned queries of whether the film, the vehicle for this philosophizing, is dream, memory, fantasy, and if Wilson ever really gets (or got) off that airplane? To return to the aforementioned film, Another Woman, that film ends with the explicit question: Is a memory something you have or something you've lost? The Limey shows better than any film I can think of, that the answer to that query can be neither or both.
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Terece Stamp, The Underated
Added 6/22/2009
As far as I can recall I have seen Terence in very few flicks. Last one I saw him in was in Get Smart..But of course that was a comedy. Bu that is far as a serious film, i must say he has very few that are proclaiming. This tome is a shame, he is a much underrated actor with immense talent, and this flick by Steven Sodenbourgh brings out the best in Sir Terence Stamp.
In The Limey we have Wilson, and aging crook, fresh out of the joint, and in search of his daughter's murderer. Wilson has a lead, he knows the man responsible, all he needs is time and the help he can get to accomplish the job.
The premise has been heard of before; the director however manages to craft the movie in a very original and stylish manner. Example is the fast forwarding events and flashbacking them as well...it gets a bit frustrating at times...but you have to admit that it does have an amazing impact once the movie is over. There is barely if any B.S. in the movie; meaning that what you see is believable and realistic. No hero crap here, everything done a la old fashion. Keep in note that the movie also incorporates scenes from another movie, to show Stamp's character as a young lad in prison.
This movie however is not for everyone. It's different, yes, but it's a style that is appreciated long after the first view. I know this for certain; I had to view it more than 3 times to like it. It's now on my top 25 due its fresh look and slick editing. Definitely a must own if you are into something fresh and new.
MY PERSONAL RATTING: 4 OUT OF 5
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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A Remarkable Film
Added 4/4/2009
I almost turned the film off at the beginning, disconcerted by its abrupt and seemingly random shifts of time and place. But after I allowed myself to be drawn into the film's world, I enjoyed it immensely. Unlike typical characters in film "thrillers," the players in "The Limey" were understated, seemingly more authentic. Although nothing like "Pulp Fiction," "The Limey's" often offhand dialogue had the same charm. Terrance Stamp's Character, Wilson, although not quite certain where he was going, moved forward relentlessly to uncover the mystery of his daughter's death and achieve satisfaction for his loss. The denouement, while completely unexpected, couldn't have been more perfect.
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Good Low-Key Revenge Story
Added 3/12/2009
For a modern-day "revenge movie," this is unusually low-key but I thought it was pretty good and it kept my interest. It sneaks up on you. It might bore you, but it might not: it's really hard to say.
If you enjoy a character study by an interesting actor (Terrence Stamp) you should like this.This one is about a British criminal (Stamp) getting out of jail, finding out that something bad had happened to his daughter in Los Angeles, and going for the man (Peter Fonda) he feels is responsible for that. This revenge tale is done differently. It almost reminded of the old film noirs of the `40s and `50s.
There is a bit too much flashback in here, so you have to be prepared to put up with that. Of note, the filmmakers used actual film footage from a 1967 film of Stamp to show him in his younger days.
What I did really enjoy was Stamp's vocabulary and the interesting looks on his face. The supporting cast also adds nicely to this story, particularly Barry Newman, who plays Fonda's bodyguard. There isn't a lot of action in here but when it does occur, it's pretty intense.
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Great film noir
Added 7/31/2009
I'm watching this film for about the 10th time as I write this. It is an interesting study of vengeance by the father of a murdered girl who comes to America to find and kill her murderers. There is an interesting subplot in which an older and unreleased film by Terence Stamp is used to show the backstory when he was a young man and his daughter was a child. This subplot finally explains what has happened in the modern story. It is similar and far superior to a recent film called "Taken." In both cases, the father, who has near superhuman skills, takes off after a man who has kidnapped or ( in the Limey's case) murdered his daughter. This is a better film but both are enjoyable. I can watch this one over and over. I'm not sure about the newer film.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Masterpiece
Added 7/29/2009
Director Steven Soderbergh's 1999 so-called crime-action film, The Limey, is easily the best film of Soderbergh's that I've ever seen. Part of this is due to the innovative narrative structure that makes all but the most of the last few minutes of this great film a flashback, and the rest is due to an excellent script by screenwriter Lem Dobbs, whose other great success came a year earlier, in Alex Proyas's sci fi film Dark City. Both films, despite their seeming divergence, are acutely focused on human memory, and both deal with the fragility of such in novel ways. In fact, in rewatching The Limey on DVD, after six or seven years, and then watching it with the two available audio commentary tracks, I'm amazed to have seen something in the film that no other critic apparently has, and that is the fact that the viewer is never sure whether or not any or all of the remembered scenes depicted are, indeed, real (within the fictive cosmos the film resides in).
The 85 minute long film quickly sets up the idea that the protagonist, named simply Wilson (and seemingly the same character as that portrayed in Ken Loach's 1967 film Poor Cow (called either Dave, or Dave Wilson- I'm not sure for I've never seen that film, and there are conflicting accounts as to whether of not that character had both names revealed), and portrayed by Terence Stamp, is an ex-con out for revenge following the seeming accidental death of his daughter Jennifer (Melissa George- as an adult), a young woman who was living with a shady L.A.-based record mogul named Terry Valentine (Peter Fonda). Within the film's first ten minutes viewers get the first 'action' scene of violence, and already identify heavily with the lead character, Wilson. The bulk of the rest of the film is about Wilson's memories (or fantasies?) of his daughter, from the time he is on board a return flight from L.A to the U.K., and all the critics agree that the film is a series of memories, even if they disagree about what is the actual present time it displays. Some critics, as example, claim the airplane scenes represent flashforths, not flashbacks; some that seem to be chronological (although the scenes seem to be in proximate chronological groupings, not individually chronological), while others are not; but not a single critic seems to have ever questioned the verity of what Wilson's memories are, or, if indeed, they are strictly memories, and not fantasies. After all, this film is a 'revenge film,' and revenge is, next to sex, the top theme of fantasies. Of course, some would argue that the scenes from Poor Cow seem to imply Wilson is all that he claims to be. But we only get snippets of this. Is Wilson really an ex-con? Likely. Is he in L.A. looking for revenge? Likely. But after that, is anyone really sure what is memory and what is fantasy, and, indeed, if Wilson's 'memory' is accurate? The Limey is the rare example of that most overused and abused term, an utter cinematic masterpiece that explores memory as a thing in itself, as a way to communicate, as well as a form of regret. It asks serious queries of the human psyche- not just those of kind like what is good?, or what is evil?, but those of degree like what constitutes a crime?, and when does it become a crime?, as well as the aforementioned queries of whether the film, the vehicle for this philosophizing, is dream, memory, fantasy, and if Wilson ever really gets (or got) off that airplane? To return to the aforementioned film, Another Woman, that film ends with the explicit question: Is a memory something you have or something you've lost? The Limey shows better than any film I can think of, that the answer to that query can be neither or both.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Terece Stamp, The Underated
Added 6/22/2009
As far as I can recall I have seen Terence in very few flicks. Last one I saw him in was in Get Smart..But of course that was a comedy. Bu that is far as a serious film, i must say he has very few that are proclaiming. This tome is a shame, he is a much underrated actor with immense talent, and this flick by Steven Sodenbourgh brings out the best in Sir Terence Stamp.
In The Limey we have Wilson, and aging crook, fresh out of the joint, and in search of his daughter's murderer. Wilson has a lead, he knows the man responsible, all he needs is time and the help he can get to accomplish the job.
The premise has been heard of before; the director however manages to craft the movie in a very original and stylish manner. Example is the fast forwarding events and flashbacking them as well...it gets a bit frustrating at times...but you have to admit that it does have an amazing impact once the movie is over. There is barely if any B.S. in the movie; meaning that what you see is believable and realistic. No hero crap here, everything done a la old fashion. Keep in note that the movie also incorporates scenes from another movie, to show Stamp's character as a young lad in prison.
This movie however is not for everyone. It's different, yes, but it's a style that is appreciated long after the first view. I know this for certain; I had to view it more than 3 times to like it. It's now on my top 25 due its fresh look and slick editing. Definitely a must own if you are into something fresh and new.
MY PERSONAL RATTING: 4 OUT OF 5
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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