Motherless Brookyln (Edward Norton)

[Grouchy]

https://i2.wp.com/quisqueyainformativa.do/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Motherless-Brooklyn.jpg?fit=432%2C640&ssl=1

[Skitch]

I can't wait to watch this.

[Grouchy]

This is a rare film to come across, a modern-day hard boiled gumshoe tale that tackles some hot political buttons (it's hard not to see traces of Trump in Alec Baldwin's depiction of Moses, even if it's based on a real life politician) while remaining an absolutely earnest genre film, complete with mystery dames, plenty of colorful secondary characters (even the bad guy's goons are memorable) and POV shots fading to black after someone punches our hero unconscious. Except for Bruce Willis's early demise most of the plot twists aren't surprising to any reader of hard-boiled novels, although some of the particulars and History notes might be, like a key character strongly based on Miles Davis and the heart of the movie being about the moral conflicts behind urban development. And, well, of course, a protagonist with Tourette syndrome. The music is particularly great and sometimes a bold choice given the period setting.

It appears this underperformed both critically and financially, which is a shame, although a rather predictable outcome - I dunno about audiences, but I know film critics rarely like pulpy genre films that wear their heart on their sleeve.

[Skitch]

This was a major passion project for Norton. He was seriously on the outs from Hollywood for the Hulk comments (dumb). He is a sincere artist, and even when he doesn't strike a chord with me in a whatever he's doing, at least he swings. I try to support his work wherever I can.