★ 8 / 10
A solid dark romance drama, but a little
Thyaagu C
A solid dark romance drama, but a little more psychological edge and intensity could've made it something truly special. The score is beautiful, the leads are…
A solid dark romance drama, but a little more psychological edge and intensity could've made it something truly special.
The score is beautiful, the leads are fantastic, and the story works well enough.
Left me satisfied, but also with that feeling of, "Uff… this could’ve been so much more."
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★ 10 / 10
We are lucky in many ways, to have
K K
We are lucky in many ways, to have actors who understand the medium, they are also movie stars. This does not always happen, someone that can and does offer…
We are lucky in many ways, to have actors who understand the medium, they are also movie stars. This does not always happen, someone that can and does offer both. Ethan Hawke again in Great Expectations, proves these points.
Although Hawke does not come across as, say, Anthony Hopkins, Ian McKellen, those British type actors who I find just get recognition of being ACTORS by their country of birth. Well, not quite, and Hopkins and McKellen are two of the best actors in history. One has to consider Hawke up there too, and he still has some years to catch Hopkins and Mckellen, who both really became movie stars way later than Hawke. The beauty of movies is that who knows when and where actors of this caliber will appear. I would wager to guess if one asked Hopkins and McKellen their thoughts on Hawke as a movie, TV and stage actor, they would applaud him in all three. Not all actors can do these different mediums to the level Hawke has done.
OK enough with the homage to Hawke, which really comes from him being fearless and taking on horror or scary movie roles, from Sinister to Black Phone 1 and 2 (these films show how impactful movie stars can act impact and help a studio like Blumhouse. Hawke really saved the day for Black Phone 2 and Blumhouse Slump)and did it with the same commitment as the work some same is more important; stage and dramatic TV and movie roles. I don't agree, as horror and scare is a fantastic genre that really allows for something special. Yet it takes good actor, director, script to make it work. Hawke has created GRABBER in Black Phone movies, and now I wait to see if a prequel giving more air time to Hawke happens, perhaps one closer to a physiological scare drama, some heavy-hitting drama with some gore and slash to keep it in the genre like Black Phone but with the ability to get past biases with Academy and places that discount horror. Demi Moore has done so with Substance.
Yet for this role, a more classic tale from our greatest literature and Hawke took on
Finnegan "Finn" Bell, and Hawke nailed this part in one of the better movies of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Overall, I love these types of movies when the actors can handle the role and deliver the goods. Hawke did here, and yes, of course, we got some fuel in front of Hawke in the face and at least kissed Gwyneth Paltrow as Estella.
Although perhaps if a prequel to Black Phone happens, the producer and director will demand Hawke as the Grabber, give it all up, remove the mask full-on frontal so we can see all the Grabber. The actors using their bodies as Grabber by Hawke in Black Phone 1 kitchen scenes prove how vital it is. Women have been doing it, giving it all up for us to take in the physical aspects of the characters as Paltrow did here in Great Expectations as Estella in the paintings which are her body images. The kissing two of these two brought chemistry the needed element to the relationship Finn and Estella shared. WOW smoking chemistry. I like the evolved usage of bodies in modern cinema compared to the classic time. The human body is art. So yes it would be excellent to see the character operates as Grabber from the inside out! I would imagine an actor of Hawke's caliber would be UP for the challenge.
Enjoy this movie and, yes, I know this is more about Hawke overall, other movies, but that is what makes Hawke so good in this role, his whole body of work, which, by the way, has some of the widest acting range we have seen by an actor in the last 50 years. Horror, drama, thrillers, action, sci-fi and more, check Hawke out!
This is a great holiday and New Years movie to watch!
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Thx Freeman / YTS Absolutely great movie and soundtrack