I greatly enjoyed this movie, but I tend to like all those Boston crime movies, as well as Dennis Lehane books, on general principle. My main quibble with the film was that the locations of the particular crimes in it seemed predicated more on what would be picturesque and well-known to the viewing audience than on any semblance of reality. I mean, if you were planning on knocking off an armored car, would you do it in the North End which is impossible to drive out of under the best of circumstances, never mind when under high speed pursuit? But, y'know, a robbery in, say, Malden with easy access to major highways wouldn't exactly have the same cinematic cachet. Ah, well.
One of my major surprises in the movie was that Blake Lively can actually act. I have never watched an episode of Gossip Girl, and so my impression of her was as just a bimbo. (Possibly because her nickname on gofugyourself is "Boobs Legsley" due to her predilection for wearing very short and very lowcut outfits to every event, a fashion faux pas. One or the other, people, one or the other.) But she does very well in her small but pivotal role was the very pretty, very very white trash ex-girlfriend of Ben Affleck (and sister of his partner.)
And speaking of Ms Lively? Do you remember a post on here last spring, in which I expressed my fascination and horror over the black-tipped French manicure that the woman sitting next to me on the Blue Line was sporting, a manicure whose overall effect was to suggest she had dirt beneath her fingernails? Do you remember my pronouncing this the ultimate white trash fashion statement? Well. In the scene where Ms Lively is in her hospital bed at the MGH, recovering from her DWI, she has that same manicure! I was ready to hand the costume designer (or whoever was responsible) the Academy Award on the spot. A tiny detail that most people wouldn't even notice and that some who did wouldn't grasp the significance of, but perfect. That is what Ms Lively's character would ask for at the nail salon, no question. Brilliant.
Okay, I think that's all I've got to say about that. Other than: did you ever think about how much cash there must be in Fenway Park at any given time? Me neither!
xoxo
5 comments:
No surprise I didn't notice the nail polish, but I agree that Lively's part was astounding down to every last detail. Renner's, too. And if there's no Oscar for shooting up the insides of Fenway Park, then there is no God.
I will also say that, though the locales were sensible only for their cinematic appearance, Affleck did put forth the effort to play the geography for the chases and escapes accurately, and there's something to be said for that.
Oh, yeah, Renner absolutely nailed it too. The day I sat on the Prison Bus listening to the over-35 (and thus old enough to have calmed the fuck down) sociopaths matter-of-factly discussing how much blood spatters in your cell when you jump someone from the top bunk? Did Renner look, sound, and act exactly like one of those guys? Abso-fuckin-lutely.
And I do agree there weren't any "wait! you can't get there from *there*" moments, and props to Mr Affleck for that. After the egregious "strip club in Lynn" error in Gone, Baby, Gone ;-), you know I was waiting for one.
Haven't seen it yet, but I agree about having *almost* any criminal activity on wheels set in the North End is insane. Today, the biggest crime there is choosing the wrong wine, but not so long ago....Anyway, homicide was OK because the perp could melt into a crowd that was suddenly stricken blind. Cars? Not so much.
Why not set 'em in C-town or Slumerville? Lots of getaway opportunities.
You didn't actually regale us your well-honed observations on whether Ben Affleck was able to give a true reflection of "the general idiocy of the native Bostonian".
I think Ben did a damn good job!
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