KnotMissPriceless Why so much hype?

ShangLuda Admirable film.

AshUnow This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Rosie Searle It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

rob_lavender The stars of Philip Ridley's masterful, dark drama are all known for bigger things, but to this reviewer's mind at least, they're never better than they are here. Made in 1995, the film boasts impressive turns from Brendan Fraser, Ashley Judd, Viggo Mortensen and Grace Zabriskie, and yet it remains almost unheard-of to this date. This is a genuine shame. Writer-director Ridley has crafted a pitch-perfect character study portraying the conflict between the immovable object of religion and the unstoppable force of sexuality. Darkly Noon (Fraser) is a young, naive man who escaped a massacre at the strict religious commune in which he grew up. Lost deep within the forest in Southern America, he's taken in by the beautiful Callie (Judd) and her mute lover Clay (Mortensen). Experiencing lust and envy for possibly the first time, he finds disturbed widow Roxy (Zabriskie), who helps him lay the blame for these alien emotions with his unwitting seductress. With some stunning cinematography and innovative editing techniques, Ridley increasingly introduces elements of fantasy as Darkly gradually slips into insanity, helping us follow his journey. A tense piece of work, the days are counted until we're told "Final Day" - the sequence of events comes as no surprise, but that doesn't lessen the impact whatsoever; rather it provides a ticking clock that adds to the unease.

Patrick Farley Brendan Fraser plays the role of a man who has lived under the severe guidance of hyper-religious parents. We slowly get to see him degenerate from a stiff, proper, 'perfect' Christian to a lustful, sexual being, and then into a person who has lost touch with reality completely.The object of his passion is Callie. She tempts him, almost tauntingly, but at the same time obliviously. Her boyfriend, Clay, is played by Viggo Mortensen, in what I suspect is his only NON speaking role.Viggo plays the role of a mute convincingly, showing us another dimension of talent. He uses body language, exaggerated gestures common to the mute, facial expressions, and a couple vocalisations in form of whistles and clicks, or rapping on an object. The vocalisations serve both as attention getters and exclamations to make a point.At the end, after a fight with Darkly (Lee), Viggo's facial expression is the most menacing I have ever seen--and that includes his role in the recent 'History of Violence' Lee meets up with Roxy, part way through. We find out that she is Clay's mum, and holds a grudge against Callie, claiming she is a witch who ruined her family when she was brought into the household much the same way Lee was--an injured stranger.Roxy is so convincing that I honestly expected to find out that Callie truly was a witch (in fact, I'm still not convinced that she ISN'T). Roxy's opinions don't help Lee's sanity any, and in the end, after a discussion with his dead parents, he totally loses it, and sets off to destroy the witch.I was honestly confused by the ending, and am going to have to re-watch it to see if I get it again.In regards to technical aspects-the music was perfectly selected and placed. There were a few instances where the camera used jerky, quick shots, changing angles or scenes (cutting back and forth from Lee to Callie or Clay, e.g.). It was perfectly done-other producers have tried those shots, but I usually end up feeling physically ill from the quick changes. These were just breathtaking.

maatmouse It is rare to chance on the first few films of a Hollywood actor obviously destined for better stuff and this is no exception. This is Brendan Fraser post California/Encino man and pre-Mummy etc in a sexy movie about passions bubbling under the surface. Fraser plays the Darkly Noon of the title who is found by a labourer and taken to his friends, Caly and Clay who reside in the forest. For the first 30 minutes plus of the film, only Caly is present, a beautiful and at times teasing presence in the film from Noon's perspective. Extremely religious Noon has difficulty reconciling Caly and his feelings for her until her lover, Clay returns and, troubled by their love for each other and the teachings of his parents and other strangers in the woods, Noon fights, literally against his rescuers quite spectacularly.

andrew-traynor1 The weirdly named Darkly Noon (Brendan Frasier) is the sole survivor of a Waco-style massacre and a religious fanatic. He is taken in by Ashley Judd, who lives in a isolated cabin in a huge forest. The first set of tensions come when Noon's strong attraction towards Judd clash with his religious beliefs. The second arise when Judd's mute boyfriend Viggo Mortensen returns. And then hermit Grace Zabriskie befriends Noon and tells him Judd is a witch. This is pretty impressive stuff from writer and director Philip Ridley. He's not afraid to risk being pretentious and, in truth, he is at times. Mostly, though, he creates an unsettling, powerful piece with the texture of a nightmare. Surreal at times (a giant, glittering boot floating down a river?) it conveys the powerful and enigmatic nature of both human emotions and the unexplored forest. It's clear that things are going to end bloody but, crucially, you can't guess for who; because at times it seems the coquettish Judd might be a witch.