KIM_HARRIS Reviews

Broken (2017– )

Stunning TV of the highest standard

[10/10 · 25 February 2024]

I have just watched this for the second time since its release. I had forgotten how incredibly well made and powerful it is. Every performance is of the highest standard and the writing is utterly convincing but this is Sean Bean's finest performance. This is not an easy drama to watch; it would have failed if it were, the humanity and frailty of the priest is utterly convincing even for a viewer of no religion such as I.

A great deal is packed into six episodes but it never feels overblown even when the emotional content feels overwhelming.

The closing scene is one of beauty, redemption and reassurance of the fundamental goodness of many people of whatever faith even when surrounded by pain and trouble.

If you have not seen this serial, seek it out without delay.

Widow's Walk (2019)

Better than the reviews indicate

[6/10 · 6 January 2020]

I am unsure why this film has received such negative reviews. It's not the most original or the greatest film ever but it is definitely worth watching. It's nicely paced and although you can figure out most of the elements quite quickly, the denouement is still quite satisfying. One reviewer wrote that it is ant-climactic but I beg to disagree. The acting is decent and the cinematography is excellent. Don't approach it with preconceptions and just appreciate this simple story.

Aftermath (IV) (2017)

Good acting by the principals but somehow unsatisfactory

[5/10 · 26 March 2019]

The first thing to say is that the standard of acting by the two leads was good and convincing. Unfortunately the surrounding cast is pretty run of the mill and the script was rather lack-lustre. The story, of course, is tragic and the film makes a genuine attempt to come to terms with that tragedy but ultimately there is something lacking. The plot holes are annoying if not hugely problematic. The lack of accuracy in use of terminology is unnecessary and the effect of inaccuracy in what happens to people who fall from 10,000 feet leads to some overplayed scenes at the crash site. All in all, a decent attempt but some missed opportunity.

Sarah's War (2018)

Interesting idea but poorly executed

[4/10 · 21 June 2018]

I wouldn't go as far as some reviewers as to say that this film is valueless. There are some interesting ideas, particularly the treatment of single mothers at the time. However the initial plot line is inexplicable and the whole thing seems under-rehearsed and rather amateurish. The acting is rather wooden at times. If comes across as a low budget production, possibly even a student project. It was not a total waste of time spent in watching it but there are certainly plenty of better films to watch.

The Portuguese Nun (2009)

Be patient and go with the unconventional

[7/10 · 13 August 2014]

I watched this on the excellent MuBI Internet movie channel and found it an intriguing look at personal relationships. It has a very leisurely pace and there is no "action" but it is beautifully filmed and the scenes of Lisbon are beguiling. The dialogue and motion of the actors is deliberately stylised and there is much looking directly at the camera. Also the framing of dialogue between pairs of characters is unconventional; it shows each speaker full face in turn. Nevertheless, if you can cope with such lack of cinematic convention, it's an enjoyable piece. The Portuguese language is beautiful, to say nothing of the protagonist played by Leonor Baldaque.

Coriolanus (2011)

Worth seeing but the text is stripped to the bone

[6/10 · 7 February 2013]

I wasn't sure what to expect of this modern adaptation of one of Shakespeare's lesser known tragedies. The opening with much running around with modern weapons like a scene out of an action movie did not augur well but it got much better as fighting gave way to talking and at least some of Shakespeare's fine original text came to the fore. The play is severely cut to get it into a film of just under 2 hours but there is just about enough left to make it work. The leads, Fiennes and Butler, are good with some excellent support from the likes of Vanessa Redgrave. There are many flaws in this film but it is worth seeing and there are thought-provoking resonances with the modern politics of war-torn countries and the hubris of warriors and leaders.

The Grey (2011)

Don't bother

[1/10 · 13 July 2012]

It's not very often that I give up on a film half-way through, given that I have already invested an hour or so, but I finally lost patience with this absolute turkey of a movie.

How Liam Neeson agreed to be in this collection of utter twaddle is beyond me. I don't necessarily expect movies to be completely realistic but this one just doesn't hold together at all. The conduct of the characters is ludicrous, the animal behaviour of the wolves is unnatural, the special effects are poor and the script is ham-fisted with every fourth word being "strong language".

My advice? Don't waste your time - I wish I hadn't.

A Tale of Two Cities (1958)

Hangs together well as a film narrative

[7/10 · 1 January 2012]

Why is it that reviewers insist on complaining that a film is less worthy because it does not exactly stick to the book upon which it is based? There are differences between this film and Dickens's novel and other film adaptations. That does not matter. A film is a film and a book is a book and they are different works of art.

What matters is whether the film as a work of art, or entertainment, or narrative, works in its own right and on its own merits. I would contend that this film certainly succeeds on that basis. The narrative is coherent and convincing, despite the unlikely premise of the ending of the story - and you can blame that on Dickens.

The film is beautifully shot in black and white just at the time when most features were being filmed in colour and, in my view, this adds to the film. The script is well written, the actors well cast and the performances are convincing. Another reviewer has complained that Darnay and Carton were not played by the same actor. That would be a serious mistake, just as to have Viola and Sebastian played by the same actor in Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night' is a mistake. Much of the dramatic tension comes from having just enough similarity but not too much. In this way, the different characters of the protagonists are emphasised. Bogarde puts in his customary well-balanced performance and the sympathy between him and Lucie Manette is clear to see without being overplayed.

The excellent Dorothy Tutin puts in a convincing performance as the beautiful Lucie and the supporting cast is generally very good. The slight exceptions would probably be M. and Mdme Defarge who are not entirely convincing. He is too weak and she is too histrionic.

Measure for Measure (2006)

Brave effort but .....

[4/10 · 2 September 2011]

The problem with heavy cutting of a Shakespeare play, and this is cut by about 60%, is that you take away much of what makes it a fully rounded Shakespeare play. In this case, the text and the cast is cut to the bone so that all is left is the main plot; the subplots, which comment upon the theme, have been completely removed.

One interesting element is the revealing of the Duke as deeply hypocritical, and hypocrisy is a key theme of the play. This is achieved particularly well at the end, and Isabelle gives him an appropriate response in the always ambiguous ending.

The film is a brave effort as an experimental production with what was clearly a miniscule budget but it has a number of significant problems which cause it ultimately to fail: 1. Its brevity - the cutting is simply too savage. 2. The budget meant that the production values are low. The sound, at least on the DVD, is terrible. There is substantial echo in the corridors inside which makes speeches sometimes barely audible; wind noise in the microphones when outside; poor balance causes music to be overwhelming. 3. The makeup is simply awful. Claudio's bloody face looks like it was done with a child's paint box and Marianne has purple arms in the final scene. 5. The lighting is rudimentary and the photography patchy, although there are some good scenes.

Finally, the transcription of the setting to the British Army is an intriguing but ultimately unsuccessful idea. The function of the Viennese court is so fundamental to the setting of the play that it doesn't translate to an army camp very well.

For students of Shakespeare and modern adaptations, this is a useful film to watch - and it is only 72 minutes of your time - but for a proper and enjoyable production, take a look at the BBC's 1979 TV adaptation.

The Happiest Girl in the World (2009)

Would have made a good short

[4/10 · 22 June 2010]

If this had been shot as a short film of about 20-30 minutes, it would have worked very well but as a full length feature film it fails because it becomes frankly boring.

The scripting is quite sharp and the acting is very proficient. Cinematography is tight and effective. The film makes some good points about relationships between parents and their grown children and about consumerism. There is some nice satire on the commercial film industry.

Unfortunately, despite some quite funny dialogue and a few dramatic moments, I found myself looking at my watch and saying to myself "yes, I get the point. In fact, I got the point about an hour ago". Despite the full length of the film, the characterisation was limited and I really didn't care about the characters.

A disappointment.

La Jetée (1962)

Interesting from a history of film perspective but that's about all

[5/10 · 14 April 2010]

I confess that I had never heard of this film before yesterday. It was used in a film studies course as part of a "what is film" discussion. My own view that it just about qualifies as a film but that it failed in a number of ways. The first problem is that the only real clue to the narrative is the rather flat voice-over. The images, which are quite interesting but repetitively used, do not stand on their own. The story itself has an interesting premise but is confusing and incomplete. The biggest problem is that as a story, there is little or no character development (as another reviewer points out) which should have been possible, even in a film of only 29 minutes.

So, overall, an interesting idea inadequately developed but worth seeing because it is only half an hour of your life.

Cape Fear (1991)

Totally lacking in subtlety

[1/10 · 27 January 2010]

I know that it is often regarded as unfair to compare different versions of the same story so I won't compare this with the 1962 version of Cape Fear, I will simply try to review it on its own merits... or rather lack of them.

This is quite possibly the worst film I have ever seen, and that's saying something. I don't think I have ever given a score of 1 for a film before, there has always been some redeeming feature. Here, I wish I could give it zero.

Where shall I start? Thrillers should be subtle unless you want to make them a completely dumbed-down slasher movie. Presumably Scorsese wanted to do just that. He certainly succeeded. The film uses every corny technique to scare the viewer and completely fails.

The acting is terrible, the dialogue worse, the cinematography and editing unimaginative, the soundtrack annoying and the characterisation crude.

If I had not had to watch this film for a course on film history, I would have stopped after 15 minutes. I suggest you do not waste two hours of your life!

A Lion Is in the Streets (1953)

An interesting idea but over the top

[5/10 · 6 January 2010]

The idea of this movie is an interesting one and the political shenanigans are convincing but unfortunately the performance by James Cagney is distinctly over the top. A certain amount of playing to the gallery is appropriate to campaigning but the constant declaiming by Cagney is very wearing; to say nothing of the singing and hammy marching!

It's a shame because some of the supporting performances are excellent, particularly Barbara Hale and Jeanne Cagney.

I would have given this a lower score were it not for the worthwhile content; it's a pity that was let down by the realisation.

Deception (1946)

Sit back and accept it for what it is - and enjoy Claude Rains

[7/10 · 17 October 2009]

Deception, made in 1946, reunited Bette Davis with Paul Heinreid and Claude Rains (Now Voyager) and was directed by Irving Rapper. It is a slow burn; building tension gradually throughout the film until the drama at the end. Bette Davis and Paul Heinreid are both good and reliable with Heinreid convincing as the war damaged European cellist. Davis is good at an emotional level but her performances are rarely flawless and she goes over the top occasionally. She also never entirely convinces as a pianist and artiste - perhaps deliberately. In this film it is Claude Rains who steals the show as the jealous jilted lover, building on the quiet and implacable menace while entertaining. The excruciatingly frustrating scene in the restaurant before the audition is a tour de force. The print on the DVD is a luminous black and white example of that era and great to look at, even on the small screen. Sit back and accept it for what it is, a classic 1940s movie.

Babette's Feast (1987)

Simple, spare, but sumptuous

[7/10 · 17 October 2009]

Babette's Feast is a film I had often heard of but never seen. It is a simple and spare film but with the sumptuousness of the climactic feast. Based on a story by Karen Blixen ('Out of Africa' author), it is the story of unregretted choices seen in old age. Stephane Audran plays the eponymous heroine who escapes from Paris in the 1870s during a time of turmoil and lives for many years in a hamlet on the coast of Jutland in Denmark as a cook and servant for a pair of spinsters who made their own choices in their youth to stay with their father, the pastor of the community.

Like many European films, nothing much happens but the atmosphere, acting, and production are superb and the film leaves you at the end just as satisfied as if you had partaken of the feast yourself.

Mamma Mia! (2008)

Don't believe the hype

[4/10 · 17 March 2009]

Really, don't believe the hype. This film is really a major disappointment. I wasn't particularly looking forward to it but was prepared to be pleasantly surprised. Unfortunately my scepticism was entirely justified. What on earth was Meryl Streep thinking of? To say nothing of Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgaerd and Julie Walters.

The only saving graces which cause me to give it the frankly generous 4/10 are the scenery (1 star), the original songs (1 star), and the excellent dance with flippers on the jetty (2 stars) which was absolutely the only point in the film where I actually laughed.

Streep just about gets away with her singing. Pierce Brosnan was embarrassing and I think I need therapy to get over Colin Firth sitting on a boat and strumming a guitar singing a soppy song.

I am so pleased that I didn't pay to see this. Do yourself a favour and watch something worthwhile. I would prefer the 'Sound of Music' frankly.

The Woman in White (1997 TV Movie)

Entertaining enough but lacks subtlety

[6/10 · 18 February 2009]

This film adaptation is a real missed opportunity. The cast is good and does its best with the screenplay but the subtlety of Collins's novel is largely lost. It is quite possible to see why the format of the original novel would require some structural changes but quite why the makers of the film felt it necessary to change so much in the plot is frankly a mystery.

It feels like they had decided who they wanted to play the parts and changed the story accordingly. Marian Holcombe is portrayed by Collins as having an ugly and masculine face; Tara Fitzgerald has anything but so they changed the character. Why change her name to Marian Fairlie? Sir Percival Glyde is too young and Fosco too thin.

Ah well, it's entertaining enough but like so many adaptations, you will be disappointed if you know the book. Out of curiosity I must now try to find copies of the other adaptations to see how they fare.

Jane Eyre (2006)

A missed opportunity

[8/10 · 2 December 2008]

I am an unabashed period adaptation addict and I have seen many versions of 19th Century novels including several of Jane Eyre. This one is a missed opportunity. I say this because in Ruth Wilson they found an actress who is spot on for the part. She does a superb job in the part with some excellent acting. She looks just right, has the right attitudes and temperament.

Unfortunately, the adaptation is let down by a very patchy screenplay peppered with anachronistically modern language. The original novel is full of superb dialogue so why not use it? The original language is perfectly accessible and does not need to be "dumbed down". Also, some of the vital scenes of the novel are rushed or completely left out. Jane's desperate flight from Thornfield and her descent into beggary is an important part of the story but the already difficult coincidence of Jane's lighting on the Rivers family is made less credible by St.John's finding of Jane lying on a tor on the moors.

Much of the acting is extremely competent and the actors make the best of the scrappy writing but the modernisation jars and the overly intimate physical scenes in the last episode are completely inappropriate to the story and to Jane's character.

This was a missed opportunity. It is beautiful to watch. The settings and the cinematography are excellent, as are the production values. It's just a shame that more attention wasn't paid to the underlying values of Bronte's narrative.

Something to Believe In (1998)

A nicely rounded piece despite the flaws

[7/10 · 3 December 2006]

Don't expect a deep and meaningful film but this film is good to watch and I even took the trouble to buy a copy. The performances are good and, despite some flaws in the dialogue, quite convincing within the limitations of a simple story.

Maria Pitillo is the stronger of the two leads but William McNamara also does a good job and the supporting parts are ably fulfilled by Tom Conti and Ian Bannen although the latter's Italian Accent is never entirely convincing.

At a time when so many films are deliberately unpleasant, this is an old fashioned and unashamedly "heart warming" piece, despite its flaws. Enjoy it for what it is and don't take it too seriously.

Landfall (1949)

A simple story, well told

[7/10 · 2 December 2004]

Being something of a Nevil Shute devotee, I have been trying to track down a copy of this film for some time and finally succeeded.

This is one of Shute's simpler stories but in common with most of his novels, it concerns the issues of good people doing a job well. It should be read, or viewed, bearing in mind the time that it was written and the social and political climate of the time.

Landfall is no exception to this caveat applicable to many films of the time. I was relieved to find that this was a straightforward adaptation of the novel and was told without any twists and turns and unnecessary changes to the plot (unlike "Far Country" - a mangled adaptation of a later Shute novel).

I was also pleasantly surprised to find that the acting was much better than I expected in a 1949 film of this type. The issues of class difference were nicely handled and the story is just enough to fill the time. The main protagonists are portrayed well by the leads, particularly Patricia Plunkett, who resists the temptation to overdo the differences between her barmaid character and her flying officer boyfriend. A few of the lesser parts are a little conventionally and slightly woodenly handled but the ensemble of Maurice Denham, Kathleen Harrison, Nora Swinburne and Margaretta Scott are reliable.

The early flying scenes are reasonably convincing but they go downhill somewhat with the special (or not so special) effects in the bomb trials. This really doesn't matter too much in the context of this type of film where the important aspects are the story and the character development.

A simple story, well told. It would be nice to see it added to the collection of available classic movies on DVD.

Flying Virus (2001)

So bad it's worth watching

[29 August 2003]

Well... only worth watching if you really have nothing better to do. The story is ludicrous, the dialogue embarrassing and the special effects cheesy in the extreme. However, it did provide some laughs. It is worth watching just for the aeroplane sequences. How they persuaded Rutger Hauer to appear in this is hard to imagine and while Gabrielle Anwar is not the greatest actress in the world she would have been hard put to do much with this dialogue. I would love to know how much the budget was for this movie. They can't have shot more than one take of anything and I should think the whole thing was made in a week. Have fun!

Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles (2001)

A sequel too far

[3/10 · 20 October 2002]

First one? Excellent. Second one? Good. This one? A turkey. If it's free on TV and you have nothing better to do, it's amusing in places. If you are paying (we were) don't waste your money. My twelve year old thought it was amusing but the plot is puerile and the actors seemed to be only interested in the money.

Fallout (1999)

A real turkey

[2/10 · 12 October 2001]

Just saw this on satellite while vegging out on a Friday evening. I am so glad I didn't pay real money to see it. An absolute turkey. Silly plot. Moronic dialogue. Cheesy special effects. Totally predictable ending. Nothing more to say really.