Category Archives: Melodrama

2009, Acceptable Trash, Comedy, Explicit sex, Explicit sexual discussion, Melodrama, Mostly About Sex, Nudity, Sex Scenes, TV Series

Hung (2009)

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From NetFlix:

Desperate for money after his house burns down, high school basketball coach Ray Drecker (Thomas Jane) makes a drastic decision: He becomes a male escort. With his old flame Tanya (Jane Adams) marketing his “winning tool,” Ray begins servicing the women of Detroit. Meanwhile, he deals with his difficult ex-wife, Jessica (Anne Heche), and her new husband, Ronnie (Eddie Jemison), while trying to help his offbeat teenage kids with their problems.

Ignore the tired joke. This TV series is NOT pornography. In fact there is very little actual sexual activity shown. This series is more a comic soap opera in which a very diverse cast of characters interact. In some ways “Hung” is the Breaking Bad (2008) of the sex world. We are supposed to rationalize Ray Drecker’s new career choice because he has money problems just as we were supposed to justify Walter White’s crystal meth lab because he also has money problems. Just ignore this form of moral retardation and enjoy the fun (in both TV series).

Thomas Jane (Ray Drecker) was 40 when he acted in season 1. Since he was born in Baltimore he MUST be a good actor although I have not yet seen him in anything else.

Jane Adams was Sheila in Little Children (2006). Here she plays Tanya Skagle who is Ray Drecker’s “pimp”. (This is NOT as sordid as it may sound.)

Anne Heche is perfect as Ray’s annoying and neurotic ex-wife Jessica. If I were one of her children, I wouldn’t like her either.

Only one objection comes to mind: Ray and Jessica are physically attractive. So how is it possible that their twin children Damon and Darby are so physically unappealing (to say the least) ? Damon is a Goth who paints his nails black.

2009, Acceptable for children, Acceptable Trash, Corny, Imperfect, Melodrama, Sex Scenes

The Other Woman (2009)

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From NetFlix:

Romance becomes reality for Emilia Greenleaf (Natalie Portman), who wins the heart of the handsome object of her affection (Scott Cohen), only to find that the relationship comes with some very real baggage — including her new beau’s troubled son (Charlie Tahan). Don Roos directs the film adaptation of Ayelet Waldman’s compelling novel, co-starring Lisa Kudrow, Lauren Ambrose and Elizabeth Marvel.

As B-level melodramas go, this one is not a complete waste of time. At the very least Natalie Portman (Emilia) is easy on the eyes, although she doesn’t come across as a great actress. For some reason, her speech seemed downright ordinary, as in American high school. Or perhaps I am harsh. Am I correct in assuming that her character was almost purposely a “home wrecker” ?

Scott Cohen was adequate as the husband, although he did not have to do very much but look concerned. He played in Love and Other Drugs (2010) but I cannot remember having seen him.

Charlie Tahan as the precocious son William played Ethan in I Am Legend (2007). Tahan was well-coached and did his part perfectly.

Most fun for me was watching Lisa Kudrow (who in my mind will always be Phoebe from “Friends”). It is hard to believe that she is now 48 years old. She has never been a great actress but in this film she is really believable as a hard-nosed, determined, resentful, controlling b _ _ _ h. Still her character exhibits some almost noble qualities on one occasion.

Sorry, but for me the ending was a bit too “goody good goody”.

2008, Could be boring, Drama, Love Story, Mediocre, Melodrama, Play Adaptation, Sex Scenes

The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond (2008)

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From NetFlix:

Based on an unproduced original screenplay by Tennessee Williams, this drama follows Fisher Willow (Bryce Dallas Howard), the headstrong daughter of a Southern plantation owner. Forced to fulfill her role as a debutante, she chooses farmhand Jimmy Dobyne (Chris Evans) as her escort. As if this weren’t scandalous enough, her announcement that she’s fallen in love with Jimmy threatens to destroy the family. Ann-Margret and Ellen Burstyn co-star.

Sitting through this dullard is almost agony, which proves that not every Tennessee Williams play is worthwhile. Possibly it was the acting, or the slow pace, but I kept waiting for something important. Probably I am used to difficult situations and films that don’t compromise on the difficulties. Things were just too easy, too goody good good. Jimmy’s character was so unbelievably upright that I almost gagged. Could it be that I have become too jaded by the current harshness of entertainment ? However, I did suffer through the entire film and it ended very sweetly.

2001, Corny, Melodrama, Military, Prison, Redemption, Revenge, Suspense, Violent

The Last Castle (2001)

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From NetFlix:

When General Irwin (Robert Redford) — a POW in Vietnam and a revered hero in the Persian Gulf and Bosnian campaigns — is court-martialed for disobeying orders, he’s sentenced to serve time at a maximum-security military prison run by a hard-nosed disciplinarian (James Gandolfini). But a battle of wills emerges between the two men as the prisoners and guards of “The Castle” find themselves drawn to Irwin’s natural leadership abilities

Because I was looking for films with Mark Ruffalo, I stumbled upon this forgettable production. Assumedly you know what “corny” means: mawkishly sentimental, sermons that tell you what you should be feeling, clichéd emotional tugs at the heart, etc. Or am I being cynical about this film which seems to be an effusive memorial service for Robert Redford. (Do you suppose he really doesn’t get it ?)

OK, forget the above snobbish attitude. To tell the truth, once I started watching I could not stop. James Gandolfini is the most wonderfully smarmy and sadistic prison commander you could imagine (but very different from the prison commander in the unforgettable “Shawshank Redemption”).

Granted that the final action scenes would be completely impossible, so outrageous that this movie deserves to be a cult film. Nevertheless it was a real blast seeing how General Redford’s ragtag army defeats all Gandolfini’s offensive moves.

Does Mark Ruffalo experience personal conversion ? Is the dastardly Gandolfini exposed ? Does General Redford go on to greater glory? Does that really mean and nasty tower guard get his comeuppance ? Stay tuned for more thrills and chills!

1991, Crime, Drama, Imperfect, Love Story, Melodrama, Mystery Film, Plot Twist, Revenge, Suspense, Violent

Dead Again (1991)

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From NetFlix:

Los Angeles gumshoe Mike Church (Kenneth Branagh) takes the case of a woman (Emma Thompson) beset with amnesia and soon makes the startling discovery that he and his client are connected — via reincarnation — to a lurid, 40-year-old murder. Branagh is convincing as an American private investigator, and he gets fine support from Thompson (his real-life wife at the time) in this inventive modern noir thriller.

Give a ‘B’ to this somewhat dated film. However, it is just plain fun to see a lot of actors at a young part of their lives. After all, the film is almost 20 years old and a lot can happen in 20 years (such as Branagh and Thompson getting a divorce). Some of the actors are:

  • Kenneth Branagh who speaks a credible American sprinkled here and there with a few choice curse words. He plays two roles.
  • Emma Thompson speaks British. She plays two roles.
  • Who would have thought that Derek Jacobi was ever young. Recall him as the stuttering “I Claudius” ? He even manages to stutter in this film.
  • A year after this film Wayne Knight was the unforgettable “Newman” from “Seinfeld”
  • Andy Garcia you know well. Don’t miss the scene in which he is an old man dying of throat cancer from a lifetime of smoking. He speaks through a hole in his Adam’s apple. He begs Branagh for a cigarette and smokes it through the same hole.
  • I did a double-take. “That can’t be Robin Williams, can it?”. Sure enough!

The acting sometimes breaks down. Amazing to see how technology (cellphones, etc) would have completely changed the scenery in just 20 years. Still it was fun seeing handsome and beautiful people in their prime.

2002, Could Be Hard To Watch, Drama, Gangs, Melodrama, Not Feel Good, Occasional gore, Revenge, Suspense, Violent

Gangs of New York (2002)

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From NetFlix:

Amid the savage Irish and Italian rivalry that dominated New York City in the mid-1800s, Amsterdam Vallon (Leonardo DiCaprio) hunts down his father’s hateful murderer, Bill “the Butcher” Cutting (Daniel Day-Lewis). Along the way, Vallon falls for the charms of a streetwise pickpocket (Cameron Diaz). Director Martin Scorsese’s riveting epic — nominated for 10 Oscars — also stars Jim Broadbent, Liam Neeson, John C. Reilly and Henry Thomas.

Before seeing this film, at least read the Wikipedia article which at the very end gives historical references. According to this Wikipedia article, the New York scenes were very accurate. But the history itself is a different matter. Many liberties were taken with the facts. Still the underlying theme of the persecution of the Irish is quite valid. Moreover there were historical figures such as Bill Cutting (who was a butcher), but the film is at odds with their real history.

Violence is the chief characteristic of this film, and gory violence at that. Daniel Day-Lewis plays his usual blood-thirsty villain. For my money this was a black and white melodrama whose main attraction was indeed the many slaughters. And for some reason I have never been able to convince myself that Cameron Diaz can act.

Netfilx sends the film as two discs.

2007, Comedy, Feel Good Not For Children, Love Story, Mediocre, Melodrama

Chaos Theory (2007)

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From NetFlix:

Thanks to a strict regimen of timetables, to-do lists and index cards, efficiency expert Frank Allen (Ryan Reynolds) lives his life exactly how he wants it. That is, until his well-meaning wife (Emily Mortimer) decides to set their clock back a mere 10 minutes. Suddenly, Frank’s once-safe and predictable life is spinning dangerously out of control … which is the one thing he never bothered to plan for. Stuart Townsend and Sarah Chalke co-star.

Don’t expect much. This mediocre melodrama rates a C. There are some genuine laughs. And the story has some original twists. The language is at times crude enough to exclude children.