Pluskylang
Great Film overall
Casey Duggan
It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny
Derrick Gibbons
An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.
apkolovos
The Case Study in this remake is exactly: How an Algerian director (Rachid Bouchareb) managed to get a classic French film (Deux hommes dans la ville) and make his propaganda against the supposed racism to Muslims. The original movie "Deux hommes dans la ville" was written and directed in order to reprobate judicial system in France, which in 1973 yet was adopting the guillotine as a death penalty method. While the original movie hero (Alain Delon) is an ex-con who's character makes the viewer coincides 100% facing the cruelty of society and the bias of the authorities, in this remake the corresponding hero is an inhibited, psycho-neurotic character who almost at the first 10 minutes of the movie make audiences think "well the Sheriff (Harvey Keitel) is doing a good job trying to destroy Garnett's life". Unfortunate and totally uncool the choice of Forest Whitaker in the role of the main hero.
Stuart Davies
All the way through I watched Forest Whitaker with glee, making me want his character to keep going in-spite of all the challenges he faced. The acting from all those involved was marvelous and although the story is not new, ex-con tries to go straight, the variations where enough to make it interesting. Playing his parole officer, I found Brenda Blethyn's characterisation quite refreshing and not what I'm familiar with from her previous roles. Harvey Keitel does a wonderful job playing the sheriff, who starts on the familiar path of persecution of Garnett, but seems to have second thoughts towards the end of the film.I suppose the start of the movie makes you wonder who is having their head bashed in and that stays with you till the end, but it's the downfall of Garnett and his acceptance of it, that affected me the most. I expected him to give in to his old ways, but half expected some sort of showdown, which is what made the film more a reflection of real life, when it didn't happen. A lesser man would have given in entirely to his criminal past, a greater man perhaps would have asked for more help from the authorities. As it happens Garnett, like the rest of us, is something in between. I was therefore left with a feeling of disappointment tinged with sadness at Garnett's actions and their inevitability in that situation. All together a splendid movie.
David Ferguson
Greetings again from the darkness. Director Rachid Bouchareb, a long time festival favorite, has taken the general story of writer/director Jose Giovanni's 1973 film of the same title and relocated it from France to a New Mexico border town. It touches on many elements such as rehabilitation of criminals, small town justice, human personality traits, freedom and justice, and conversion to Islam.Opening with the silhouette of a brutal murder against the sunset in a New Mexico desert, the film has a western feel replete with the sense of doom and impending showdown. Forest Whitaker stars as Garnett, a paroled man who has just been released after serving 18 years for killing a deputy. Despite a life of crime that began when he was 11 years old, Garnett was a model prisoner who obtained his GED and mentored others while becoming a converted Muslim. His words make it clear he wants to put his old life behind and start fresh – however, his actions show he still struggles with explosive anger issues.In a move that seems counterintuitive, Garnett is confined while on parole to the county in which he killed the deputy. The local sheriff (Harvey Keitel … who else would it be?) sets about making things difficult for Garnett, and expresses anger at his release while the "deputy is still dead". The idealistic parole officer is played by Brenda Blethyn, so the stage is set for the clash of philosophies: trust and rehabilitation vs historical behavior and justice. Adding one more challenge to Garnett's new world is the presence of his old crime boss played by Luis Guzman, who of course, wants him back in the business.While many folks all over the globe struggle endlessly to find love; Garnett is 2 days out of prison when he falls for the local banker played by Delores Heredia. Herein lies the problems with the movie. The love connection just happens too quickly. Guzman is never the ominous presence of a truly bad guy. Keitel only gets to offer glimpses of his disgust at Garnett's freedom. These three characters are all severely underwritten despite the efforts of three fine actors.If not for the terrific performance of Forest Whitaker, the film would fall totally flat. It's his screen presence that keeps us watching, hoping against all odds that he will find the peace he so desperately seeks. There is a wonderful scene with Whitaker and Ellen Burstyn, and a couple of the scenes with Whitaker and Blethyn are powerful, but the other pieces just never pack the punch necessary for this one to fully click.
Liam Blackburn
This is a tough movie to watch. You feel for willy, he's trapped by his past actions. The sheriff weeps for the dead illegal immigrants. The parole officer weeps for her parolees. It seems nothing good can ever come from this world....can it. This, of course, is Satan's world. He owns this world, it's plain to see in this movie. Willy seeks answers from allah, but alas, he finds nothing but more and more pain. The cycle of violence continues on and on. In the end, Willy can't wash his hands clean any more. He can't do it, he can't wash his mind free of sin. Bottom line though, is he murdered another human, and now he is forced to live this hell on earth for the rest of his waking days. There's no use in running from it.
