'Jennifer 8' is a bit of a curiosity. Overall it's okay, yet all the many elements of the picture don't entirely gel together into a cohesive whole.
It feels like it's been a while since I've seen Andy Garcia in anything, so it's a joy to go back and watch a feature where he has the spotlight. His performance is maybe a little over the top, but his is a commanding presence all the same. Uma Thurman, in her major supporting role, also demonstrates the potential that would be further unleashed with her future films. And just look at the rest of the cast - there are some wonderful, familiar names and faces here, including Lance Henriksen (surly and tired), Kevin Conway (brusque but lovable), Bob Gunton (pointedly unlikable); Kathy Baker, Graham Beckel - John Malkovich! Even among such great co-stars, Malkovich turns in the best performance of the movie. It's unfortunate that his characterization, and the dialogue he's given, is not written well.
That's the key here. Most of the dialogue feels subpar to me. Parts are a bit thin; the strength of the cast is what makes them work in my mind. The overarching puzzle of the case comes together very slowly, and there's correspondingly only a sparing, infrequent sense of suspense, that increases just as gradually as the film goes on. For much of the length these are subsumed by a burgeoning romance between the leads that feels a bit questionable and unconvincing in how it's written; Garcia and Thurman sell it as best they can.
Story beats feel like a fantasy version of how an investigation would play out; it's not that everything ties together neatly and cleanly, but rather that the disparate pieces seem held together by magical glue. That goes for the breakthroughs of protagonist John Berlin, the steps that he takes to progress his search for a killer, and the way everything else seems to work against him. There is some cleverness dotted throughout the screenplay - especially the climax - and I'm grateful for that, because broadly this feels like a collection of scraps more than a single, solid thread. The most believable part of the movie is the apparent incompetence of the cops.
I enjoy Christopher Young's score. I think writer-director Bruce Robinson captures some fine shots, and arranges some pretty nice scenes, though these are scarcely greater in number than the instances of suspense and creepiness in this thriller. Use of lighting - with emphasis on flashlights - and some close-up shots, such as of Thurman's hands, are altogether lovely.
Yet the good is countered by the bad; the admirable is tainted by the unbelievable. I entered 'Jennifer 8' with no particular expectations, and find that I wanted to like it more than I did. The cast does the most work here to keep the picture afloat where the writing fails, and they are to be commended. This is a reasonably enjoyable picture, but not necessarily one I'd recommend unless you're either an especial fan of the performers herein, or not exceedingly particular as to what you watch. I don't begrudge anyone who likes this more; I'm glad they're able to get more mileage out of it. 'Jennifer 8,' it turns out, just isn't quite for me.
One thumb up. One thumb down.
It feels like it's been a while since I've seen Andy Garcia in anything, so it's a joy to go back and watch a feature where he has the spotlight. His performance is maybe a little over the top, but his is a commanding presence all the same. Uma Thurman, in her major supporting role, also demonstrates the potential that would be further unleashed with her future films. And just look at the rest of the cast - there are some wonderful, familiar names and faces here, including Lance Henriksen (surly and tired), Kevin Conway (brusque but lovable), Bob Gunton (pointedly unlikable); Kathy Baker, Graham Beckel - John Malkovich! Even among such great co-stars, Malkovich turns in the best performance of the movie. It's unfortunate that his characterization, and the dialogue he's given, is not written well.
That's the key here. Most of the dialogue feels subpar to me. Parts are a bit thin; the strength of the cast is what makes them work in my mind. The overarching puzzle of the case comes together very slowly, and there's correspondingly only a sparing, infrequent sense of suspense, that increases just as gradually as the film goes on. For much of the length these are subsumed by a burgeoning romance between the leads that feels a bit questionable and unconvincing in how it's written; Garcia and Thurman sell it as best they can.
Story beats feel like a fantasy version of how an investigation would play out; it's not that everything ties together neatly and cleanly, but rather that the disparate pieces seem held together by magical glue. That goes for the breakthroughs of protagonist John Berlin, the steps that he takes to progress his search for a killer, and the way everything else seems to work against him. There is some cleverness dotted throughout the screenplay - especially the climax - and I'm grateful for that, because broadly this feels like a collection of scraps more than a single, solid thread. The most believable part of the movie is the apparent incompetence of the cops.
I enjoy Christopher Young's score. I think writer-director Bruce Robinson captures some fine shots, and arranges some pretty nice scenes, though these are scarcely greater in number than the instances of suspense and creepiness in this thriller. Use of lighting - with emphasis on flashlights - and some close-up shots, such as of Thurman's hands, are altogether lovely.
Yet the good is countered by the bad; the admirable is tainted by the unbelievable. I entered 'Jennifer 8' with no particular expectations, and find that I wanted to like it more than I did. The cast does the most work here to keep the picture afloat where the writing fails, and they are to be commended. This is a reasonably enjoyable picture, but not necessarily one I'd recommend unless you're either an especial fan of the performers herein, or not exceedingly particular as to what you watch. I don't begrudge anyone who likes this more; I'm glad they're able to get more mileage out of it. 'Jennifer 8,' it turns out, just isn't quite for me.
One thumb up. One thumb down.