when i tell you that i’ve been looking for this movie for decades, i mean it. bear with me as i go into a bit of a long-winded saga.
i’ve had these vivid images etched in my memory that originate from a late night when i was a kid and i watched probably just the first 1/3 of this movie. this was sometime in the late 90s/early 00s, and most likely from one of the many times i would stay…
it’s easy to see this paired with something like the last picture show, another early-70s BBS production about being lost in mid-century americana.
i think there were a lot of men in my grandparents’ generation that were like jack nicholson’s bobby dupea. philandering dudes lost in their small worlds, escaping responsibility and womanizing; stuck between differing social classes. the kind of guys who either straightened up and took on the responsibilities of being a father, or continued as some form…
birdshit crazy movie. poopoo-ing on all the old dumb ways of thinking.
wonderful use of colour, composition, and camera movement—which isn’t surprising for an altman flick. what is surprising is just how bonkers the plot is. slapstick at times even. i think it’s his most laugh-out-loud funny film, at least that i’ve seen. absurd and seemingly non-sensical at times, while very layered in others.
saw stacy keach’s name in the opening credits and was psyched about that, but then forgot and didn’t realize it was him as the crotchety old man. incredible.
a comedic heist movie starring peter falk? with gena rowlands playing his wife? AND it’s directed by friedkin? that’s already enough to make this one right up my alley.
unfortunately, i felt the edit and timing sucked the life out of it a bit. maybe it could have been more tightly edited for pacing and comedic effect? at least it still manages to be a good time. great ensemble cast, cool 40s/50s boston set design; great vibes.
seeing falk act so smug makes me smile.
woww, didn’t expect it to be THAT fun!
had me laughing more than any other sean baker flick and probably any other new movie this year. the comedic timing was brilliant.
mikey madison was excellent but damn that russian kid was also unreal.
it feels like his most “dialed-in” with writing, pacing, editing, and visually—even if i still have a slight tip towards the heart of the florida project.
felt like a fun mix of classic baker elements with some safdie bros, coen bros, and even some classic scorsese.
