Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Mommy Queerest

They say that the only sure things in life are death and taxes. But when it comes to the movies there are several sure things. Among them: If a gun is shown in the first act, it has to go off on in the third; the villain who just collapsed is not quite dead yet; those beautiful co-stars that fall in hate at first sight will fall into each other’s arms passionately by the time the credits roll; and if Julianne Moore is the star of the movie, the kids are NOT all right. If Julianne Moore is the star of the movie, her kids will end up abandoned (The Hours, Boogie Nights), brain-damaged (The Shipping News), imaginary, missing or possibly dead (A Map of the World, The Forgotten, Children of Men, The Hours, World Traveler and Freedomland). Moviegoers first noticed her as the sassy best friend in The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992), but who knew that endangered or damaged children would become such an inescapable motif in her career?

You’re forgiven, then, for feeling queasy during Savage Grace’s otherwise innocent-looking opener, in which the great actress is shown cradling her infant son and cooing at him gently. It would seem sweet and hopeful were it not for the familiar bad-mother face doing the cooing.

Read the Full Review...

Have you seen this yet or will you? Don't take your mother!
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4 comments:

Glenn said...

Yeah, the film definitely has problems but there was enough to enjoy. Biggest of all was, of course, Julianne. When she goes "you're the best!" I quietly giggled to myself.

Anonymous said...

I know your obssession with Moore , and she has done some fine features.... but "Savage Grace" was horrible... it looked like (and sounded ) like a B movie from the '50's. The editing, sound were horrible... the acting was amateurish and the story was totally unbelieveable ) although it was based on a true story)

Moore had better choose better vehicles from here on in, or her career will be on Lifetime and Hallmark projects..

It was shown on our Cable On Demand... I don't know it it will "escape" to theaters.

Adam said...

I was completely underwhelmed by the movie, but it was the best kind of underwhelmed because it still had eye candy like Hugh Dancy and Julianne Moore being all crass/classy.

This was definitely a positive turn for Moore's career though. I don't want to see her dwindle into rom-com territory or something equally below her, so I guess incest movies are the way to go?

RC said...

you're so right on Julianne Moore and the connection to her roles as a mother who...certainly isn't a role model.

wow...good call.

will she ever be able to turn this around? Should she try?

I'm totally not interested in Savage Grace...I can't get past the real life story to appreciate any part of the film.