TV and Movies

[Pearlee]

I saw this tonight. It stars Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olson and a Native American actor I have liked to watch in several old Murder She Wrote shows, Graham Greene (very good actor).  This film has gotten good reviews and been described as a "thriller" and a "murder mystery" both of which I like so I have been wanting to see it.

Uh oh, bad move on my part.  It was a good film but not much of a mystery and not a thriller.  It was somewhat of a revenge shoot-'em-up and very bloody and brutal.  Yes, two people have been murdered but again, there wasn't much at all to the mystery part.

It was very slow moving I thought.  Also, it was difficult to hear some of the dialogue due to muttering (including by Graham Greene which disappointed me - I usually like him so well).  The film was a "downer" - very depressing, and a couple of not very plausible things happened to move the plot along (I hate that!) and some trite plot devices.  

The acting (what I could hear of it when not mumbling) was very good.  The setting was really bleak - a Native American reservation in Wyoming - vast amounts of snow-covered or frozen land shown which made me cold in the theater!

I do not recommend this film.  If you want to see it, wait for the DVD or see it on HBO or Showtime.

[granddi]

Agree....Save your money and skip this movie

[Kachina624]

@Pearlee  I was going to ask if the scenery was pretty.  I guess not.  We drove across Wyoming from SE to NW two years ago and crossed the Wind River.  It's not always beautiful but it's the most geologically interesting place I've ever visited. 

[Pearlee]

@Kachina624  I thought a lot of the scenery, esp. the mountains and the sky when they showed it, was pretty.  The ground was quite snow-covered - and they made a point to say it was spring! - they got around on snowmobiles.   But yes, the mountains were pretty but the rest look pretty bleak.

[Pearlee]

I should add that as an animal lover, I did not enjoy the opening scene in which Renner - who is a wildlife tracker - kills a coyote who was killing livestock.  There are other dead animals in the film.  Ugh!   Coyotes look close to dogs so I hated that first scene especially.

[carlycat]

I saw this. It was good. I will point out that it's based on a true story and highlights the problem of how Native American women aren't treated equally by law enforcement. The scenery was beautiful. 

[Jannyg]

Different strokes for different folks.  I saw it a few weeks ago and thought it was excellent.  Have recommended it to friends.   Tough subject but done well.

[shaggygirl]

I also just saw it earlier this week and thought it was a very good movie, as did my 3 lady friends I went with. I did however cover my eyes through the whole scene in the trailer, ya know, the ugly part. Just hearing it go on was difficult enough. As for the mumbling, found those comments interesting because as we were leaving the theatre I told my friends I was wishing several times that I could rewind and replay a few scenes with closed captions on like I can at home w/my tv because I couldn't understand what they were saying. I thought the scenery was stunning. Bleak sometimes but still stunning.

[evelyner]

I disagree. I usually don't see movies like this, but I thought it was a very good story. Very violent which I usually avoid. Good acting. Not for everyone. 

[Pearlee]

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@evelyner wrote:

I disagree. I usually don't see movies like this, but I thought it was a very good story. Very violent which I usually avoid. Good acting. Not for everyone. 

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@evelyner  We don't completely disagree.  I also stated it was very violent, good acting and at least implied not for everyone.  So there is much we agree on.

I do think the story was good, but the film was too slow-moving and not enough mystery for what I was expecting.  And not hearing some of the dialogue (the membling) dampened my enthusiasm for the film.