I saw KING OF THE CORNER in an old neighborhood first-ring suburb cinema in Minneapolis -- probably the best setting for this death of a salesman story of low-simmering frustrations and expectations. Primarily a father-son tale, Peter Reigert stars and Eli Wallach pares back the assemblage of male emotional complexion of life and work what defines and makes the unambitious yet trapped male crazy.
Reigert's strength as a actor turn director is letting his ensemble acting troupe do their thing. While many European directors, for example Mike Leigh and Ken Loach, have a particular flare for giving actors their reign, too many America films and filmmakers are more into exercising their prowess
Eric Bogosian delivers a particularly funny performance when he arrives two-thirds into this film and it may be a needed gust of air blown into the story but even his eye deeks and silent pauses carry humorous weight. I would have liked to see a bit more character arch and a slightly more weighted dimension to the predicament of supporting characters like daughter Betsy (played by Beverly D'Angelo) and Rachael Spivak (played by Isabella Rossellini) as a conscience to the story. I understand Reigert's desire to deliver a story of cistern melancholy -- that is freaking ambitious in the modern cinema of blunt sensationalist tripe -- but Reigert and Shapior could have pinched, pickled and smoked this film with humor and contrast that lacking the appropriate season cure you find in Isaac Bashevis Singer or Woody Allen at the height of his abilities that speaks in this film to the first-time effort of the screen writing collaboration. However, we need more efforts that reach toward the sublime rather than the obvious and this Minneapolis (Edina) audience really did enjoy Reigert's film.
Reigert's film will be noted for the actors from Wallach to Rossellini to Dustin Hoffman's son Jake's appearance. Reigert's fan club going back to AMINAL HOUSE appreciate his salty fore- lorn comedic talents and the comic actor needs to find written material that can tap and challenge his range. It is always interesting to watch a low-budget film where actors reign and mid-western writer Gerald Shapiro should learn his lessons and be very grateful to get such a major staged reading of his stories (KING OF THE CORNER is based on BAD JEWS AND OTHER STORIES).
I recommend this film as an alternative to all the hyped crap in the commercial pipeline but for the irony and comic droll that really delivers this summer see indie filmmakers Jim Jarmusch's BROKEN FLOWERS or Miranda July's YOU AND ME AND EVERYONE WE KNOW. Cudos to Reigert for this charming and droll debut feature.
Reigert's strength as a actor turn director is letting his ensemble acting troupe do their thing. While many European directors, for example Mike Leigh and Ken Loach, have a particular flare for giving actors their reign, too many America films and filmmakers are more into exercising their prowess
Eric Bogosian delivers a particularly funny performance when he arrives two-thirds into this film and it may be a needed gust of air blown into the story but even his eye deeks and silent pauses carry humorous weight. I would have liked to see a bit more character arch and a slightly more weighted dimension to the predicament of supporting characters like daughter Betsy (played by Beverly D'Angelo) and Rachael Spivak (played by Isabella Rossellini) as a conscience to the story. I understand Reigert's desire to deliver a story of cistern melancholy -- that is freaking ambitious in the modern cinema of blunt sensationalist tripe -- but Reigert and Shapior could have pinched, pickled and smoked this film with humor and contrast that lacking the appropriate season cure you find in Isaac Bashevis Singer or Woody Allen at the height of his abilities that speaks in this film to the first-time effort of the screen writing collaboration. However, we need more efforts that reach toward the sublime rather than the obvious and this Minneapolis (Edina) audience really did enjoy Reigert's film.
Reigert's film will be noted for the actors from Wallach to Rossellini to Dustin Hoffman's son Jake's appearance. Reigert's fan club going back to AMINAL HOUSE appreciate his salty fore- lorn comedic talents and the comic actor needs to find written material that can tap and challenge his range. It is always interesting to watch a low-budget film where actors reign and mid-western writer Gerald Shapiro should learn his lessons and be very grateful to get such a major staged reading of his stories (KING OF THE CORNER is based on BAD JEWS AND OTHER STORIES).
I recommend this film as an alternative to all the hyped crap in the commercial pipeline but for the irony and comic droll that really delivers this summer see indie filmmakers Jim Jarmusch's BROKEN FLOWERS or Miranda July's YOU AND ME AND EVERYONE WE KNOW. Cudos to Reigert for this charming and droll debut feature.