I don't know that either of these deserves much review space, although the latter has far more to recommend. So let me deal with "Envy" first. Some so-called high-concept movies are so "high" that they reek by the time they reach the screen -- and my goodness, this is a stinker. Director Barry Levinson has made some fine films, but he comes across as a rank (appropriate word) amateur here. Best friends Ben Stiller and Jack Black find their relationship at risk when the latter becomes a squillionaire after inventing a spray that vaporizes dog poo. The refrain throughout the movie is "Where has the shit gone" and the answer is that most of it is on view. Black remains both naive and full of bonhomie, even after Stiller admits that he killed his beautiful white horse, and just about survives this outing. However Stiller and poor old Christopher Walken doing one of his bizarre roles suffer badly. Even Rachel Weisz as Stiller's wife probably wished in retrospect that she had been somewhere else.
As for "The Ice Harvest", this is an unlikely production from director Harold Ramis, who is best known for comedies. While there is a small streak of black humour in evidence, there is not a lot to laugh about in this neo-noir, apart from a scene-stealing Oliver Platt playing a hopeless drunk. The story focuses on John Cusack and Billy Bob Thornton as unlikely allies who have just ripped a load of cash off the mob, their relationship with strip-club owner Connie Nielsen, and their run-ins with various mob enforcers. Without spoiling the film too much, most of the characters do end up dead -- and it might have been even better if they all had, which seemed to be a possible ending at one stage, before the director went on to a weaker one. I have a lot of time for Cusack when he is playing a likeable rogue (shades of Grosse Pointe Blank), but I am less enamoured of Thornton who is a reasonable enough actor but a rather trying screen presence (to me). However, next to "Envy", this was a masterpiece.
2 comments:
I seen both...Envy was okay...I liked Ice Harvest better as well..have a great weeekend..TerryAnn
The problem with 'Envy' is that you really have to like the two leads to like the film. I have never warmed to Stiller and Black needs the right role and a good
script, neither of which were in evidence here. Walken's OTT cameos are
getting rather boring, are they not?
'The Ice Harvest' is adapted from a rather good first novel which I read a number
of years ago; I say adapted because the basic story line is the same but I do not
recall a number of the incidental twists on the way and my memory of the ending
is definitely different. Mildly entertaining though I am inclined to agree with your
comment on Thonrton with some exceptions.
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