Hey, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab.
Here's another look at DOMESTIC DISTURBANCE. Our first report was from a guy who detested the film, and now we've got someone who feels very differently. See what you make of this review from Sexy Bitch:
Hey Harry,
I'm a long time fan and first time writer. I read your site almost daily and have always enjoyed the news and reviews.
I don't often get to see sneak peeks, but a couple of weeks ago I saw a screening of Domestic Disturbance on the Paramount lot. I was on vacation, got some passes from 3rd street promenade, and went to see the movie, not knowing much about it other than it starred John Travolta and Vince Vaughn. I wasn't gonna write to you about it. But then l I read the review on your site. That guy had a serious axe to grind - he missed some really important good qualities of this film.
I really enjoyed it. Yeah sure, it has some major problems, but I watched it with relief more than anything else. I like John Travolta, and like millions of other people I stayed away from Battlefield Earth. I saw Swordfish, and besides some cool explosions and Halle Berry's very nice special effects, I was happy when it was over. It seemed that Travolta is spinning his wheels, acting in anything with great craft services. So, Domestic Disturbance came as a surprise. He really ACTS in this film. He actually has a role that he really makes three-dimensional. You believe his character. He is not cool, he is not all that smart, he says and does some pretty stupid things, and he has some pretty bad problems. He's divorced, his business is going down the drain, and his son has another man to compete for his attention - the new stepfather, Vince Vaughn. I'm not saying that Travolta will be nominated for any awards for this part, but if you're a fan of his films - you can't miss this one.
Vince Vaughn also seemed like an actor who lost his way in the last couple of years. If his work in Psycho, Jurassic Park - Lost World, and Clay Pigeons made you sleepy like me, then you'll love him in this. He seems to be back on track with Made and Domestic Disturbance. He has matured into a really good actor who can be charismatic but with a hard edge, an anger hidden away somewhere. And when it comes out - he really creeps the shit out of you. In Made, when he snaps at Sam Rockwell's sissy bellboy - he just turns into a monster in a blink of an eye. I dare anyone to fall asleep watching him act this well. And he carries that quality into Domestic Disturbance. His scenes with his stepson are great - some of the best dialogue he has ever spoken. And he acts the shit out of it.
What was great about the film as a whole was how neither Travolta nor Vaughn are entirely evil, and neither are entirely good. They are meaty dramatic roles that they obviously had a lot of fun sinking their teeth into. I didn't know who was going to be the BAD GUY and who was going to be the GOOD GUY. It was fun trying to figure it out. It doesn't get revealed until at least 30 to 40 minutes into the film.
The plot is surprisingly simple. The budget was next to nothing. No special effects that I saw. A small film that all the actors obviously wanted to be part of because of the sharp dialogue and real characters. The pacing was great, the screws get turned slowly, and the tension is great. The audience I saw it with jumped at the scary parts, and laughed at the funny parts. I don't think I was the only one having a good time.
The kid who plays the stepson, I forget his name, was unusually talented. I can't remember seeing him in anything else. Steve Buscemi has a really strong part, and he gets a lot of mileage out of it. Again, nothing necessarily award-worthy, but chalk this up as another fascinating character part that you can't imagine anyone else playing. The director was Harold Becker. I remember liking Sea Of Love. And I rented Onion Field the other day - I always meant to catch that film. He did a great job here - he's not a showy director, doesn't call attention to himself - which works perfectly for this film. The story is very real and natural. It doesn't need car chases and bullet ballets to entertain you.
Now for the bad news. The ending blows chunks. Bad. Awful. Pissed off the whole audience. The worst part about it was the fact that the rest of the film is so strong, that to have an ending like this, it almost destroys the whole thing. I can't imagine this film going into theaters ending like this. I hope to hell it doesn't. I just read in Entertainment Weekly that the film is coming out in November. They have some time to fix it for sure.
This film really made me hopeful that this year hasn't been a complete loss. I saw this screening for free and I'll go back and pay to see it again.
Keep up the good work Harry,
Call me - Sexy Bitch.
