Seen: August 27th, 2007
Format: DVD
Rating: 7
I like Embeth Davitz, it's a shame she's only here to be shot in the head. But we've got Hopkins and Gosling to carry to the load, which is a good thing.
Fracture (and I have no idea how the title relates to the film) is a fun, tight little caper. A murder mystery with unexpected developments, and a bad guy that seems eerily in control of the whole scenario. While it's improbably in spots, it's very consistent, playing by it's own rules.
There are twists and turns and a few surprises. There are moments or compassion and charm. There is a budding romance and a dying one. It's like a little microcosm of human emotion in frailty all laid out for our observation. If anything, it may be a bit too complete in this arena. There's very very few people in this film who aren't' undergoing a transformation of one type or another.
The writing is solid, and the film moves at a good pace. Every time it seems to slow down, along comes a new piece of information which boot on down the line. It may stop and start a bit, but it continually holds your interest. It slows down but never bogs down.
Visually, the film is interesting, but not spectacular. There's very good use of light and color, but it all serves the film and nothing really stands out. It's subdued to a large extent. There's lots of darkness in the film, watch for light be introduced to a scene and the difference between the scenes that are brightly lit, as opposed to those which are dark.
The cast is spot on, not a complaint in the bunch. Rosamund Pike is always welcome, and play solidly here. The leads are excellent, though their characters a bit contrived. The supporting cast is a mixed bag, though generally solid.
See this one if you like twisty capers, with smart criminals.
Nothing about this film is going to really stay with you, but in it's time, it's fully engaging.
The Good: Clever caper with decent characters
The Bad: Those dang mores getting in the way
The Ugly: Pulling the plug
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