Post by Casablanca on Jul 16, 2009 21:24:08 GMT -5
"19th Road" (Daz)
This is a film which doesn’t know when to leave. It is a pleasant visitor, to be sure, a guest who cracks the right jokes and tells a few good tales, but after a nice two and a half hours later, they’re all out of jokes, nothing new and exciting to say, and resort to drama and personal means to keep the parade a-going, even if there is no one left to wave to. Impressive with its well done characters, and the stylistically intriguing film it lays before us, it makes us, as the password indicates, miss “18th Road”.
It pains me somewhat to really bash upon this film, as firstly that isn’t my intention. Secondly, though, there are so many wonderful exchanges here, the film really holds a potent and keen sense of conversation, and what we get manages to be more “Comic Shop” then anything else, which is both praise for the writing and the people themselves. They are colorful, alive, and clearly inspired people who give it their all to keep our attention held, they really do. But in the end, the film seems too preoccupied with covering so much territory and getting so much out there, that it, like Jennifer, has a lot on its mind, and the eventual, but inevitably coming switch of gears into a drama is not so much messy as forced.
Something major that turned my stomach over until I read it was the fear that we had a machine-crafted sequel that wouldn’t deliver anything but a single line of jokes. The drama does stagger through the door, but what we get is different, as well as refreshing, and is a good separator from it and “18th”. Despite this, there are many similarities, too, most notable the characters. While there is no drastic change, it is nice to see them subtly evolve over the course of the film, even if we never get that big revelation we wanted. There is conflict though; perhaps one of the finer sequences in the film is when Daz learns about the kid and gives Cia a call. Also, Jennifer’s and Daz’s conversation at the end is sweet, with a simple and heart warming line about his new hair. But I ramble. Truth is, I could sit here and list scene after scene that I enjoyed, and in the end have a number of pro’s which outweigh the con’s, but looking at it as a whole, the parts end up being better then the sum.
This film’s majority appeal will be, of course, those who are fans of Daz’s works and the previous installment in this series. Can a non-fan enjoy this? Yes, though they will have a small lack of knowledge. Will it turn them into a fan? Probably not. Having read “18th” I reference back it to it, thinking of the style similarities and how different some parts are, but to those with no background, they are likely to only see this as what it is, a decent comedy that should, and could, have worked a lot better then it does. And they will probably dismiss the film on this notion, and not hope to see the directors cut I am praying will be released.
As for the structure, it is evenly spaced, and while it already goes without saying that some parts are too spaced, the film is a marvel of technique. A text book example of how to make a good film, it is an ideal to follow for new directors and fans of the genre. Scarce a missed note, hardly a flawed motive, only veteran readers will truly disprove of its perfection.
A final note, I did enjoy the story to this one, and while “18th” will always be greater, the story opened the door to many moments that would be absent otherwise. It managed to hide the story under humor, and bring it out when needed, without letting it always glare you in the face, and that takes craft, and patience, even if plot took the upper hand in an out of place and, well, unusual ending of arguing and slit wrists.
I think people will be harsh with this movie, harsher then they should, anyways, and that is because a certain, invisible bar. Daz raised the bar high, and with “18th” set it at a near-gold standard. The sudden change to silver will be an impact to many anticipating and hopeful readers, but those are also the forgiving, those who know the flaws, and have it to heart that they will see them improved soon. So, it would be unfair and undeserved to think of this on any higher level, though it is a nice film, a generous film of many pleasures and delights, and while some parts may seem bogged down by length “it makes a change from watching Apatow movies”.
