Woody Harrelson is "The Walker" in this 2007 drama directed by Paul Schrader. It takes place in Washington, D.C., where Carter Page III (Harrelson) takes society women to parties and concerts when their husbands are out of town or don't want to attend. He's gay, very charming, with a rich family history of successful and admired men. The women love his stories and he always looks debonair.
One day, Carter drives his friend Lynn (Kristin Scott-Thomas) to her lover's house for a tryst. Both her husband and lover Robbie are well-known, and her liaison's with this lover are kept secret.
Lynn exits the house in shock and tells Carter that Robbie is dead, stabbed, and if anyone finds out she was seeing him, it will ruin her husband's career. Carter chivalrously offers to take her home and then return and report the murder himself as if he was visiting Robbie about some investments and found the body.
The police, of course, are suspicious. It's a high-profile case and they want to close it. Someone is leaking information to them also that Lynn and Robbie were lovers. Carter stands his ground, even though he's encouraged to look after his own best interests. He soon finds himself out of the social scene, and Lynn leaves town.
The story here is not about the murder, it's about Carter being used and abused by these women. He would do anything for them, but if he needed something, he wouldn't get it from any of them. It's apparent that he doesn't realize that at first. It's also apparent that being the descendant of respected men means that people keep looking at him and wondering how he got to be the way he did. He wants to do a noble thing; he wants to be loyal.
The wonderful cast includes Lauren Bacall, Ned Beatty, Lily Tomlin, and Willem Dafoe. Harrelson gives a fantastic performance as a slow-talking, dashing Southerner who normally keeps things on a superficial level and doesn't show his true feelings. Lauren Bacall is a society gossip who thinks more highly of Carter and sees her group of friends for what they are. She's great, although some didn't understand her attitude at the end of the movie. She respected Carter enough to be honest, as opposed to her friends. When you see the film, you'll know what I mean.
Scandal, politics, greed, affairs, none of this is new. And this film gives the impression that a few things were left on the cutting room floor that should have been included. This makes the film occasionally confusing. However, scandal, politics, greed, and affairs are just background for The Walker. The true story is how, in a crisis, you find out who your real friends are. You find out you don't have many. And in an atmosphere like this film's, none.
A great soundtrack accompanies The Walker, and one gets an impression of Washington society that's not very positive, but when has it been? Worth seeing for Harrelson's performance especially.
One day, Carter drives his friend Lynn (Kristin Scott-Thomas) to her lover's house for a tryst. Both her husband and lover Robbie are well-known, and her liaison's with this lover are kept secret.
Lynn exits the house in shock and tells Carter that Robbie is dead, stabbed, and if anyone finds out she was seeing him, it will ruin her husband's career. Carter chivalrously offers to take her home and then return and report the murder himself as if he was visiting Robbie about some investments and found the body.
The police, of course, are suspicious. It's a high-profile case and they want to close it. Someone is leaking information to them also that Lynn and Robbie were lovers. Carter stands his ground, even though he's encouraged to look after his own best interests. He soon finds himself out of the social scene, and Lynn leaves town.
The story here is not about the murder, it's about Carter being used and abused by these women. He would do anything for them, but if he needed something, he wouldn't get it from any of them. It's apparent that he doesn't realize that at first. It's also apparent that being the descendant of respected men means that people keep looking at him and wondering how he got to be the way he did. He wants to do a noble thing; he wants to be loyal.
The wonderful cast includes Lauren Bacall, Ned Beatty, Lily Tomlin, and Willem Dafoe. Harrelson gives a fantastic performance as a slow-talking, dashing Southerner who normally keeps things on a superficial level and doesn't show his true feelings. Lauren Bacall is a society gossip who thinks more highly of Carter and sees her group of friends for what they are. She's great, although some didn't understand her attitude at the end of the movie. She respected Carter enough to be honest, as opposed to her friends. When you see the film, you'll know what I mean.
Scandal, politics, greed, affairs, none of this is new. And this film gives the impression that a few things were left on the cutting room floor that should have been included. This makes the film occasionally confusing. However, scandal, politics, greed, and affairs are just background for The Walker. The true story is how, in a crisis, you find out who your real friends are. You find out you don't have many. And in an atmosphere like this film's, none.
A great soundtrack accompanies The Walker, and one gets an impression of Washington society that's not very positive, but when has it been? Worth seeing for Harrelson's performance especially.