Comments on: The Truth Is Still Putting Its Shoes On http://gatewaycinephiles.com/2009/07/08/the-truth-is-still-putting-its-shoes-on/ Appreciation and Criticism of Cinema Through Heartland Eyes Tue, 22 May 2012 04:35:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Andrew http://gatewaycinephiles.com/2009/07/08/the-truth-is-still-putting-its-shoes-on/comment-page-1/#comment-7338 Andrew Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:01:36 +0000 http://gatewaycinephiles.com/2009/07/08/the-truth-is-still-putting-its-shoes-on/#comment-7338 I *really* wanted to like this film. The trailer had me very excited. Thematically, it just never gelled as <I>The Sweet Hereafter</I> did, and the characters aren't half as intriguing as they are in <I>Exotica</I>. There's too much going on and Egoyan seems frustratingly disinterested in his themes. The silliness of the twists pushed me over the edge, though. The second half started to remind me of a Shyamalan film in its ham-fistedness, and that ain't a good sign. It *is* a pretty film. That shot of Simon on the knoll is very evocative, and the film contains plenty of other daubs of visual poetry. I especially liked the way that objects are placed front and center in the film, becoming almost as vital as the performances: a cell phone, a violin, a plywood Nativity, a Christmas ornament, a laptop. Egoyan treats them deftly, not quite as metaphors, but laden with significance. Overall, I found it terribly disappointing, though. I *really* wanted to like this film. The trailer had me very excited. Thematically, it just never gelled as The Sweet Hereafter did, and the characters aren’t half as intriguing as they are in Exotica. There’s too much going on and Egoyan seems frustratingly disinterested in his themes. The silliness of the twists pushed me over the edge, though. The second half started to remind me of a Shyamalan film in its ham-fistedness, and that ain’t a good sign.

It *is* a pretty film. That shot of Simon on the knoll is very evocative, and the film contains plenty of other daubs of visual poetry. I especially liked the way that objects are placed front and center in the film, becoming almost as vital as the performances: a cell phone, a violin, a plywood Nativity, a Christmas ornament, a laptop. Egoyan treats them deftly, not quite as metaphors, but laden with significance.

Overall, I found it terribly disappointing, though.

]]> By: Kevin J. Olson http://gatewaycinephiles.com/2009/07/08/the-truth-is-still-putting-its-shoes-on/comment-page-1/#comment-7323 Kevin J. Olson Thu, 09 Jul 2009 03:31:22 +0000 http://gatewaycinephiles.com/2009/07/08/the-truth-is-still-putting-its-shoes-on/#comment-7323 Hmmm You and I had very different reactions to this film. I found it to be one of the better movies Egoyan has made, and actually made me think of <i>The Sweet Hereafter</i> throughout. I've always like Egoyan's narrative style, and here I found his take on the flimsiness of storytelling via the internet to be pretty interesting. You're right-on about the score evoking doom -- but unlike you I thought that the unraveling of truths lived up to what that wonderful noise of violins promised. I can definitely see where you're coming from on this -- and I would be interested in a second viewing myself since it was film 3 of 5 I saw back in April at the Salem Film Festival -- but I think it sits perfectly next to his masterpiece <i>The Sweet Hereafter</i> as evidence of a master who can manipulate narrative in order to evoke very specific and nuanced emotions. Yes, he's a little over-the-top in <i>Adoration</i>, but I felt like the pace of the film towards the end, and the actions of the characters, fit perfectly with downward spiral the entire film was taking (and I don't mean that as a knock on the film). There's a a great scene where Simon is on a knoll with his laptop and the camera pans across and then moves down...and keeps going down fitting in nicely with the ominous score that accompanies the scene. The film is a descent into themes like "truth" and the power of storytelling (especially on the internet), and I was more than happy to take the plunge. I will say though...your review, and the eloquently stated points against the films second half, have made me want to see the film again and look at it through your lens and see if my initial reactions to the film still hold up. Great review Andrew. Hmmm

You and I had very different reactions to this film. I found it to be one of the better movies Egoyan has made, and actually made me think of The Sweet Hereafter throughout. I’ve always like Egoyan’s narrative style, and here I found his take on the flimsiness of storytelling via the internet to be pretty interesting.

You’re right-on about the score evoking doom — but unlike you I thought that the unraveling of truths lived up to what that wonderful noise of violins promised.

I can definitely see where you’re coming from on this — and I would be interested in a second viewing myself since it was film 3 of 5 I saw back in April at the Salem Film Festival — but I think it sits perfectly next to his masterpiece The Sweet Hereafter as evidence of a master who can manipulate narrative in order to evoke very specific and nuanced emotions. Yes, he’s a little over-the-top in Adoration, but I felt like the pace of the film towards the end, and the actions of the characters, fit perfectly with downward spiral the entire film was taking (and I don’t mean that as a knock on the film). There’s a a great scene where Simon is on a knoll with his laptop and the camera pans across and then moves down…and keeps going down fitting in nicely with the ominous score that accompanies the scene. The film is a descent into themes like “truth” and the power of storytelling (especially on the internet), and I was more than happy to take the plunge.

I will say though…your review, and the eloquently stated points against the films second half, have made me want to see the film again and look at it through your lens and see if my initial reactions to the film still hold up.

Great review Andrew.

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