Hi, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab...
Here’s an early reaction to what looks like a very slick and enjoyable caper a la THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR:
I caught what I'm assuming is the first screening of "After the Sunset" with Pierce Brosnan, Salma Hayek and Woody Harrelson at the Pacific theater in Northridge, CA a couple days ago. A nice, full crowd was in attendance and the great reception to the film seemed to make Woody Harrelson all smiles after the screening. He was standing around in the lobby after the movie shaking hands with the fans while breaking from the studio suit huddle. No sign of the other cast members or Brett Ratner, though. Probably chilling at their Malibu homes getting a live feed from the screening as to not mingle with the peons...j/k...kind of. Although I can't say I blame 'em, my wife had to do some persuading to get me to leave my safe little studio city perch and visit lower middle-class suburbia but, alas, all turned out well and we even had a nice little dinner at Macaroni Grill...God, I love that bread.
On to the film. If you have seen the trailer and think you know what to expect...well, don't jump to conclusions. It is a heist film to be sure, but it's also an undeniably fun one, with each of the actors at the top of their respective games. Brosnan at his most suave, Hayek at her most ravishing and Woody at his most woody. It also wouldn't be a stretch to say that this is Brett Ratner's best film to date.That's probably not saying much for most of you depending on how you feel about the fun but instantly forgettable Rush Hour films and the, for me, strictly mediocre Family Man and Red Dragon films. No, with this film he seems to have developed a, dare I say, style, a looseness that was only hinted at in earlier films. This film might make you wonder what he might have done with Superman. It wouldn't necessarily make you clamor for a Ratner Superman film, but he definitely climbs a few rungs up from McG.
Brosnan and Hayek play Max Burdett and Lola Cirillo, a highly successful heist team whose talents are put on display in a rather bland opening set in L.A. Stealing a diamond out of a briefcase handcuffed to FBI agent Stan Lloyd's(Woody Harrelson) hands when he is surrounded by agents and locked into an armored car has to be a wee bit embarrassing for Stan. Even more so considering these three have a long history of equal embarrassments for Stan. Their constantly a step ahead, always winning. A fact that drives Stan to follow them into retirement. Max and Lola are enjoying the good life, seemingly in retirement, on "Paradise Island" a gorgeous little setting in the Caribbean. Lola is quite happy watching sunsets on her personally built deck(a little silly?...eh, but seeing Hayek in overalls is not) while listening to the vows that Max has sworn to write for her. Max is less content. Putting up a facade of happiness, he misses the thrill of the heist. Meanwhile, Stan shows up on their beautiful homestead with a brochure for Max. It seems a cruise ship is in local port for a week and has a display going on for a famous diamond. Stan is obviously convinced that's the reason they chose this little island for retirement and makes it no secret that he is going to stick around till the ship departs. The film wants to tell us that Max didn't know anything about the diamond, that it's a coincidence, but we're buying it about as much as Lola is, who in a not surprising turn doesn't want Max to get back in the game. Don Cheadle in a nice role, if barely more than a cameo, plays a local kingpin. An ex-Detroit businessman who started out vacationing on the island but felt the need to stay and help the impoverished locals through criminal means, a ghetto Robin Hood if you will. He wants Max's help to steal the diamond for the good of the people. Naomie Harris has some great scenes as a sexy Caribbean cop who partners with Stan in trying to capture Max and Lola. While I imagine all this sounds dully familiar, the film focuses more on the characters and their chemistry than on the actual heists. Which I found more than refreshing. No annoying heist planning montage here.
Brosnan and Harrelson have a great rapport and chemistry here, almost too good...which is responsible for one of the screenings biggest laughs. Harrelson is at his most affable here, one of his best roles since Palmetto. Brosnan is, of course, perfect for the role which might be one of the film's few downfalls. On paper, this film bears more than a few similarities to Thomas Crown Affair: a thief who steals for the thrill, the excitement, not the money, getting chummy with the enemy, partial island settings. But it's a different film, very different. Looser, more funny. Dollars with Beatty and Hawn comes to mind. Speaking of cuties, Salma Hayek has never had much charisma for my tastes, gorgeous absolutely, but can she act? I have to say the jury is still out on that but this film proves, at least for her, it doesn't matter for one fucking minute of her screen time. Scene after scene, outfit after outfit, she exudes the epitome of sexiness in this film. Literally breathtaking. You can see why Max can't keep his hands off her. A cleavage shot even inspired a hearty applause from the crowd. Tight dresses, miniskirts, overalls, bikinis, lingerie, nothing. If a woman can wear it, Salma wore it in this film and looked great constantly. Naomie Harris is also quite gorgeous in the film. A great date film, guys, I'm telling you.
I had a lot of fun with this film, a nice surprise that I admittedly wasn't too excited about before attending the screening. I think it will find it's audience in a comparitively bland winter season and be a nice little hit for New Line. When it hits theaters, put your trepidation's aside and check it out. You won't be disappointed.
The Vaguely Sir DQ
Nice little review for what should be a solid commercial entry later this year. I’ll definitely check it out.
"Moriarty" out.
