Damage (B- or 2.5/4 stars)
'Damage' (directed by Louis Malle) tells a tale of Parliament Member Dr. Stephen Fleming (Jeremy Irons) as he falls for Anna Barton (Juliette Binoche), the odd, mercurial girlfriend of his own son, Martyn (Rupert Graves). As the relationship btwn. Martyn & Anna gets serious, Stephen's infatuation grows into an unhealthy obsession. Their affair becomes heated. His behavior resembles someone who's close to loding his mind (over it). And his poor wife (Miranda Richardson) appears clueless. But of course, the sh*t hits the fan (or else ther'd be no movie). Tragedy ensues. And irreparable 'damage' is left in the wake.
I really liked the examination of 'obsession' as portrayed in this film. Jeremy Irons is very good at conveying that kind of tormented obsession. He's almost difficult to watch (but in a good way). More specifically, as we watch his obsession grow, so too do we witness the grim consequences of that obsession. Juliette Binoche creates a very cold, ambiguous character. She has her moments, but it's not the actress' finest performance. Part of my hesitation - and maybe it's the fault of the casting director - is that Irons & Binoche (while excellent actors) don't prove to be a realistic couple; constantly in the bizarre throws of passion. And since the whole story rests upon them & their steamy actions ... it's a tad problematic. Furthermore, the nature of their relationship is shoddily handled at the onset.
Someone who nailed their small, but pivotal role is Miranda Richardson as the cheated-upon wife. Her big emotional explosion scene is great. Overall, 'Damaged' is a mixed bag, hence my B-/2.5 star rating. It looks good (cinematography, sets). I liked the tense musical score. I loved seeing Leslie Caron in a cameo. Moments of the plot gripped me. But moments also made my eyes roll (dirty middle-aged man going after the young, aloof vixen). As mentioned, the main relationship btwn. the 2 leads is inconsistent. And I was disappointed by the movie's denouement. Okay movie for sure, but if tweaked (writing, editing, cast choices), it could have been truly great.
I really liked the examination of 'obsession' as portrayed in this film. Jeremy Irons is very good at conveying that kind of tormented obsession. He's almost difficult to watch (but in a good way). More specifically, as we watch his obsession grow, so too do we witness the grim consequences of that obsession. Juliette Binoche creates a very cold, ambiguous character. She has her moments, but it's not the actress' finest performance. Part of my hesitation - and maybe it's the fault of the casting director - is that Irons & Binoche (while excellent actors) don't prove to be a realistic couple; constantly in the bizarre throws of passion. And since the whole story rests upon them & their steamy actions ... it's a tad problematic. Furthermore, the nature of their relationship is shoddily handled at the onset.
Someone who nailed their small, but pivotal role is Miranda Richardson as the cheated-upon wife. Her big emotional explosion scene is great. Overall, 'Damaged' is a mixed bag, hence my B-/2.5 star rating. It looks good (cinematography, sets). I liked the tense musical score. I loved seeing Leslie Caron in a cameo. Moments of the plot gripped me. But moments also made my eyes roll (dirty middle-aged man going after the young, aloof vixen). As mentioned, the main relationship btwn. the 2 leads is inconsistent. And I was disappointed by the movie's denouement. Okay movie for sure, but if tweaked (writing, editing, cast choices), it could have been truly great.