An inept Whodunnit can quickly become "Who cares?" Thank God "Gosford Park" is in the hands of the more than apt Robert Altman and his - as a line in the movie says - "gift of anticipation." If you're asking who Robert Altman is, he's responsible for the classics "Nashville," "The Player" and "Short Cuts," as well as several other lesser works like "Cookie's Fortune."
"Gosford Park" takes the standard plot-centered, clue-scattering mystery with its typical stereotypical pawns and re-establishes it as a slow, steady chess game of character study. This is no easy task, considering Altman uses his usual mishmashed multiple cast. The current generation may have Paul Thomas Anderson's epic visions, but the older, more patient audiences still have Altman's intimate lens.
Altman orchestrates each character with aplomb. Of particular impressiveness are the scenes set in the servants' quarters. The acting here is so subtle, realistic and invigorating that even the most mundane of scenes still manage to maintain a presence, a significance.
The story, for those who haven't already been filled in from previous reviews and film trailers, is set at an extravagant estate where the elite shoot birds for sport. In the midst of a large gathering of friends and family, the audience is privy to the unraveling of familial tensions, which set the stage for the murder mystery. Eventually we're led to the expected drawing room scene where one of the cast wanders off to await his murder. Despite the difficulties of dealing with such trite material, Altman's concentration on the minutiae of character and the major differences between classes sucks the viewer in with hypnotic cinematography, but part of that viewer hypnosis may just be accomplished through a soft level of dull dramatic boredom.
In a sentence, Altman's pacing may not be for everyone. Like a professional wine taster, he takes his time. "Gosford Park" was inspired by Jean Renoir's "The Rules of the Game" and has the same in-depth regard to social space as well as physical space; like some of Renoir's work, this sort of artistic vision might not lean best towards a dramatic build.
|
|
|
Altman realizes he's assembled some of contemporary film's finest character actors and he allows them moments to share cigarettes, to listen to music, to play cards and talk. Quotidian conversations in actuality carefully reveal character desires - from insidious servant hierarchies to blatant upper class power struggles. At times, the effect is astounding. Conscientious audience members will find themselves pulled into a 1930's England through much more than a period piece, accomplished by a verisimilitude that carries viewers from the start. The problems begin near the end. Revealing does not necessarily guarantee revelation, at least in terms of sufficient denouement, especially in this case. Using the phrase "anti-climactic," would be too kind. The murderer or murderers' explanations leave the apathetic distaste of exposition. It is a step up from James Bond villains' final speeches, but we expect more than that from Altman.
Nevertheless, despite the underwhelming final 20 minutes, the other two hours are sure to leave Oscar nominators buzzing about the category of best supporting actress. This is one of those films where a distinct possibility exists for more than one nomination in that category - especially if one considers that already, "Gosford Park" has two Golden Globe nominations with Maggie Smith and Helen Mirren. Smith's snobbishness is so authentic, one wonders if she is acting at all. Other comparable performances take shape in the form of a misplaced American movie director played by Bob Balaban, a two-faced servant played by Richard E. Grant, an obese nymphomaniacal kitchen servant played by a fledgling unknown actress whose name I didn't pick up at the end credits and, well, most of the rest of the cast. This is a movie for those who love and respect the craft of acting. Those seeking more action-packed cinema and who could care less about costuming and rich Brits should seek entertainment elsewhere.
Read More
The best albums of 2014
By Noah Zeidman | December 4, 2014Across genres, it has been a pretty great year in music.
Top 10 movies of 2014
December 4, 2014This has been an excellent year for film, offering everything from gripping blockbusters to innovative personal films.
Iggy Azalea is “Reclassified”
December 4, 2014It has become common practice among music artists to repackage their albums in an effort to simultaneously boost single sales and dish out new content by slightly renaming the album or slapping “Deluxe” onto the title.
