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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.
Wicker Park
the one line review:
flashback love story
the overview
No respect for Josh Hartnett in Pearl Harbour (pants). Some respect for Josh Hartnett in 40 Days and 40 Nights. Good thing for him, then, that this is basically a mindfuck remake of 40 Days... Matthew Lillard of Scream fame ("I'm feeling a little bit woozy"), a couple of fit birds, and you've got a half decent film here.
the plot:
Gee whizz, let me try and explain. Josh Hartnett is engaged to the sister of his boss. He's supposed to be going to China. But when he thinks he spotted his long lost in a restaurant minutes before he's off, he sacks in the China trip and spends the next few days looking for her. Cue his best mate that he hasn't seen for ever (Lillard) and her best mate (Byrne) who happens to be totally loopy.
The story unfolds in a Memento style flashback wrong way round sorta fashion, where we learn why the girlfriend disappeared, and generally WTF is going on.
the verdict:
This is another film designed to keep you guessing. Initially, you're not sure whether Hartnett has even met the woman he's chasing after (the flashbacks could be dreams) as we're led to believe he's essentially stalking her. That's done quite slickly. It's quite engaging in that respect - you start out thinking that Hartnett is the one who's fallen out of his tree, but it's not for a good hour or so before we learn who stole the damn tree in the first place. It's clever in as much as it has you saying things like "What? But that would never happen!" but then you're told actually why it would happen.
It also works in as much as it's 4 youngish actors in the lead roles, with no obvious influences from well established actors. Certainly, Hartnett is the lead, and has some big roles behind him, but they essentially all sucked. Shame really, because he is a good actor, and it feels like this film is a real attempt at getting him from the wishy-washy romance roles, to the slightly darker, more intelligent roles (though I haven't yet seen Black Hawk Down, which is funnily enough sat on my pile of DVDs to watch).
The reason this film doesn't get a higher rating is that it's just a little too predictable for a film of this genre. It has enough surprises along the way to keep you interested, but the ending is a little weak (though satisfying) but the manner in which it happens is a smidge too easy. Though it probably is one for the collection, put it in between Mulholland Drive and Vanilla Sky.
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