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You're reading a really old version of matt-thornton's website. For example, if you're looking at the movie reviews... you'll notice that none of them are of recent films. Indeed, I leave them here for posterity's sake, but I doubt very much that they'll get updated anytime soon. So have a giggle.
You might, if you're lucky, find something recent from Matt at his blog matt's debates. Kernow bys vyken.
The Assassination of Richard Nixon
the one line review:
the mad story of a true man
the overview
I received this way back in November - it took me over 3 months to watch this film. That's how thrilled I was by the prospect of it. It's one of those films where you to tend to put off watching it because you're afraid it's going to be too heavy and that you might actually have to think. Actually, it isn't at all.
the plot:
Sean Penn is Sam Bicke, a slight deranged American who is obsessed with the American dream. He is convinced that everyone has an opportunity, that everyone has rights, and that no-one should be expected to things they're not comfortable doing. After separating from his wife, and getting a terrible new job as an office salesman, his obsession with the dream grows as his life spirals uncontrollably downwards, living anything but the American dream. As a series of events gradually rip away any semblance of sanity, he is left with only one, rather drastic option - assassinate Richard Nixon, president of the United States - the man who is the epitomy of everything wrong with America.
the verdict:
Sean Penn is a fairly one-dimenionsal actor. I actually think he is a very good actor, but nonetheless, all his roles seem to have a sameness about them. They're all this, hard-going, slightly deprived, mentally anguished rights-of-passage type thing. Which is fine, if not a little boring.
The film has a strong message, which is portrayed neatly - it doesn't force too much on you, and rather, sort of subtly shows you what the problem is.
The sequence of events is quite predictable, and sadly, the film becomes a little boring and tedious. By the time the film ends, incidentally with nothing like the assassination of Nixon, you're happy it's over and a little disappointed at what's happened. It's a fine premise for a film, but it's missing something. There's no real edge to it, but no tension. Maybe that was the intended point, that life really is futile, but if it was, then it was altogether much too subtle for most people's tastes.
You're not missing anything if you don't watch this. That said, it does have Naomi Watts in it, who is a total hottie.
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