Mann Down
It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a magazine ad for Ray-Ban sunglasses, featuring Tyrese and Josh Wald! (Mmmmm... Josh Wald...)No, it's the poster for Michael Mann's Miami Vice, which is as inert and personality-flattening as the photo suggests, but not in any typical way. There isn't anything average about Miami Vice except its ultimate mediocrity: otherwise, this movie can't make up its mind whether it wants to be an action thriller, a film-school project, or a deconstructionist essay. That's the kind of summer carnival ride you don't see every day, certainly not in scrunchy, frizzy DV. Farrell and Foxx, both of whom look like they thought they'd signed up for something else, quickly fall by the wayside as Mann and cinematographer Dion Beebe put their own muscles and cutting-edge aspirations front and center. Bully for them, manifestly talented as they are, but I wasn't convinced that any of Miami Vice really worked after the first five minutes. You can read my full review here. And then you can switch back to Josh.
(Image © 2006 Universal Pictures)
Labels: Best 2006
posted by NicksFlickPicks at 4:26 PM
5 Comments:
I would just like to say that I'm so happy you're once again writing full reviews on a regular basis. I love your writing. Your thoughts always fascinate me regardless of whether or not I've actually seen the film yet. You are brilliant!
You really are, you know. The only downside of these long reviews appearing again is that they completely obviate the need for anyone else's. ;) I can't think of another word to add to this, except perhaps a comment on how the movie's gunfire is the most ear-shatteringly convincing I've ever heard (I gather ballistics experts agree), and how the whole shambolic enterprise cohered for me just fleetingly at the end, in those final, almost wordless scenes between Farrell and Gong. I've no idea how Mann got there, given the movie's abject refusal of any clear emotional through-line in the interim going, but I think he did, just. Otherwise you've nailed this movie to the wall and I'm pondering a career change.
how bizarre --entertainment weekly doing spamblogposts?
this has nothing to do with miami vice. i haven't seen it but JOSH WALD.
omg.
This review is almost as intimidating as it is superb. You truly are one of the best.
These are the nicest comments! I had trouble writing this review, so I'm really pleased that you all (especially you all!) enjoyed it.
And Nathaniel, even if you haven't seen Miami Vice, I'm glad you found something else to enjoy. ;)
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