I like this performance a lot, but he's much better when trying to suppress contempt (e.g. the business card scene) or when being so smooth that it's creepy/hilarious (e.g. the Phil Collins monologue). Every interesting thing about the character involves conflicting impulses.
Strangely I never had an interest in seeing this until I watched this scene just now. Maybe it's just the novelty of seeing Christian Bale in a mode other than Dour Nolan Protagonist. (And I say this as a fan of everything he and Nolan have done together.)
Hey, this came out the same year as CHOPPER, didn't it? Now it all makes sense...obviously Bale and Eric Bana pissed off the same old gypsy woman sometime in 2000, and were cursed to be typecast in stifling, humorless roles ever after.
"I could be mistaken, but my sense is that this movie's rep keeps going up and up."
I agree. It's one of those films that I consistently find when I am looking disapprovingly through the dvd collections of strangers. I also think that several scenes (this one and the more awesome business card scene) have become conversational reference points more so than most films released this decade. I don't think it's a great movie but I think Bale's placement here is deserved.
I wonder how high Campbell Scott will place for Roger Dodger...
"It's one of those films that I consistently find when I am looking disapprovingly through the dvd collections of strangers."
Maybe it's because you can buy it for five bucks at Target (which I did, then I watched it and remembered that it's not that good, and so I sold it for a dollar).
12 comments:
Shut up, D'Angelo.
I will say that little hip-shake, choo-choo-train dance Bale does at one point is pretty awesome.
I thought people were supposed to get arrested for mugging.
Love it. I had almost forgotten how fun Bale could be, which he hasn't been to this extent in a long time it seems. Why so serious?
I guess clowns need love, too.
I like this performance a lot, but he's much better when trying to suppress contempt (e.g. the business card scene) or when being so smooth that it's creepy/hilarious (e.g. the Phil Collins monologue). Every interesting thing about the character involves conflicting impulses.
WHAT DON'T YOU FUCKING UNDERSTAND?
I could be mistaken, but my sense is that this movie's rep keeps going up and up.
Strangely I never had an interest in seeing this until I watched this scene just now. Maybe it's just the novelty of seeing Christian Bale in a mode other than Dour Nolan Protagonist. (And I say this as a fan of everything he and Nolan have done together.)
Hey, this came out the same year as CHOPPER, didn't it? Now it all makes sense...obviously Bale and Eric Bana pissed off the same old gypsy woman sometime in 2000, and were cursed to be typecast in stifling, humorless roles ever after.
"I could be mistaken, but my sense is that this movie's rep keeps going up and up."
I agree. It's one of those films that I consistently find when I am looking disapprovingly through the dvd collections of strangers. I also think that several scenes (this one and the more awesome business card scene) have become conversational reference points more so than most films released this decade. I don't think it's a great movie but I think Bale's placement here is deserved.
I wonder how high Campbell Scott will place for Roger Dodger...
"It's one of those films that I consistently find when I am looking disapprovingly through the dvd collections of strangers."
Maybe it's because you can buy it for five bucks at Target (which I did, then I watched it and remembered that it's not that good, and so I sold it for a dollar).
Blame Miles Fisher for reminding everyone of this film's existence.
(I actually liked it the one time I saw it, when it came out on DVD, but I don't remember Bale being so goofy. Gypsy curse indeed.)
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