Looks ok. They really made the female lead seem like a manipulator in the trailer so not sure how she’s likeable? And I think Damon’s haircut is gonna be a distraction.
Yeah, I listened to the audiobook on this, and having watched the trailer, I think they’ve wisely decided that Cormer’s character is the best suited for both the primary POV and protagonist role, both in terms of what historical evidence there is about the case, the flaws and complexities about Damon’s character (who seems to have been something of an @$$ towards his boss and friends), and in terms of the applicability this film has to both the current climate and the general nature of history’s politics and laws dealing with sexual assault and misogyny.
Now, the thing with Scott is that sometimes he’s more faithful to history, and sometimes he’s less faithful, and with mixed results when he strays (Kingdom of Heaven feels to me like it’s hurt most by the changes he made getting on the way of what reality he was keeping to, while Gladiator is more of a fantasy story that works because of how contrary to real history it was.) The historical record has plenty of raw drama to it that shouldn’t be removed, and what additions they make should occupy the “shadows” of the record.
Like (spoilers from several centuries ago):
The fact that the record shows that the only evidence against Driver’s character came from Cormer’s character, but that she was certain and determined enough to risk burning alive to repeatedly testify, means that an awful lot of drama can be picked at between her and her character’s husband played by Damon. Damon’s character voicing either real doubts about her story or a well-informed doubt about their ability to succeed in gaining justice, and having a woman who’s been raped faced with that terrible of a choice, between allowing her violator to walk free, unpunished, and even apologized to for being inconvenienced, or risking a fiery death? That’s rich for exploitation for drama.
As is the possibility of her mother-in-law believing what happened to her, but trying to get her to give it up so her son doesn’t die in a “fruitless” quest (since Driver’s character was historically better equipped and much healthier)? Mmmm…. That’s good drama!
PS… I kind of want them to go with the the “Jacques Le Gris is clearly guilty for the purposes of this story” route, not just because of the applicability to the problems faced by cities of sexual assault… but also because I want a film to show how great a sword-wielding and self-centered villain Driver can play when the films allow the audience to hate him.
I feel like if Kylo aren’t fans avoid the film for being too competent at letting Driver play an unrepentant villain, that’s a good sign.
Since Kingdom of Heaven I've repeatedly learned that putting any faith in the theatrical cut of a Ridley Scott film is 100% a fool's errand. He will absolutely do a hatchet job in the editing bay to get the runtime down for theaters. And I only need to look at that 152 minute runtime to know that he did exactly that with this film. There is probably a good 180 minute version of this film somewhere. Id love to get an extended cut like KOH's, but this will probably end up like Exodus.
Since Kingdom of Heaven I've repeatedly learned that putting any faith in the theatrical cut of a Ridley Scott film is 100% a fool's errand. He will absolutely do a hatchet job in the editing bay to get the runtime down for theaters. And I only need to look at that 152 minute runtime to know that he did exactly that with this film. There is probably a good 180 minute version of this film somewhere. Id love to get an extended cut like KOH's, but this will probably end up like Exodus.
I don't see this having a really long extended cut. Damon and Affleck wrote the script - I doubt they wrote some 300 page magnum opus. It probably was always going to be a fair runtime.
I don't know where they got their info about dueling but it was forbidden in 1626 by Richelieu, not in the 14th Century and it was still in use during the 1900'.
I don't know where they got their info about dueling but it was forbidden in 1626 by Richelieu, not in the 14th Century and it was still in use during the 1900'.
Meh, the movie wasn't that bad. Not a great movie, but a decent watch. It was well made and directed at least. I do think it was a bit disjointed and missing scenes considering the Rashomon format.
Possibly. It's a Production Designer's Dream, recreating, Medieval France and all.
And, Damon & Affleck's previous Oscars are for Adapted Screenplay.
So, You Never Know.
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