Gorky Park

Rating:
Summary: gorky park
Review: Forget the Amazon review, this is one of those rare cases in which the movie is actually better than book (it eschews the books unbelievable ending, replacing it with one that is far more plausible). A stellar cast and the great Lee Marvin's last movie, terrific acting and fine direction, what more do you need.

Rating:
Summary: Park It Here
Review: Gorky Park is a whodunit with a unique "why." With fascinating characters, the action is conveyed with intrigue and continous suspicion. However, one problem exists; nearing the climax the plot becomes convoluted but clarified after more than one viewing. Overall, it's worth purchasing, especially for the scene at the very end. This reviewer has never seen such rhythm and spirit.

Rating:
Summary: THIS MOVIE IS UNDERRATTED
Review: I SAW THIS MOVIE ON HBO AND I LOVED IT I WAS BLOWN AWAY BY THE PERFORMANCES OF WILLIAM HURT AND LEE MARVIN SO I ORDERED IT AND A MONTH AFTER I GOT THE VIDEO IT CAME OUT ON DVD. I ALSO LIKED THE FINAL FACE OFF BETWEEN WILLIAM HURT AND LEE MARVIN AFTER I SAW THE MOVIE I GOT THE BOOK ,BOTH ARE EXCELLENT.

Rating:
Summary: very good movie
Review: I've read the book and although it, of course, was much better, I enjoyed the movie. I regret that the movie leaves out a large section at the end of the book that I particularly liked. Additionally, the movie misrepresents my favorite character, namely KGB Major Pribluda. On the flip side, William Hurt is very good as Arkady. Lee Marvin well portrays the slimy sable-selling American Jack Osbourne, and Brian Dennerhy does well as a rogue New York City cop who doesn't give a damn about getting killed or killing people, as long as he can avenge his brother. I really enjoyed this film. Oh- the DVD especially is good, because in the movie it is difficult to make out what is happening in some of the darker scenes.

Rating:
Summary: One of the very best pictures I have ever seen.
Review: It's a mystery. It's about good and evil. Not sure that good wins, but it makes its mark! Doesn't drag. Moves along. Not a boring second. I recommend it highly.

Rating:
Summary: First Rate, Bittersweet, Effective
Review: It's winter and three corpses are found in Moscow's Gorky Park. They've had their faces and finger tips carved off. Arkady Renko, an honest, slightly obsessive Russian cop, is assigned to the case. He sets out to identify the bodies by reconstructing their faces, and as he gets closer he finds obstructions in his path. He finds a girl (Joanna Pacula) who was friends of the trio, a wealthy and ruthless American (Lee Marvin), an American cop (Brian Dennehy) out for blood, and more than he probably wants to know about sable coats and the animals they're made from. It becomes clear that corrupt higher-ups are involved in something with greater stakes than solving a triple murder. Hurt and Marvin do great jobs and are well matched.

This is a tight, very well constructed police procedural that is a little exotic, with the cops and functionaries being Russians. It's also a bit gloomy with a bittersweet ending, but it still works as a very watchable film. A lot of the outdoor shots were filmed in Helsinki, and the movie takes place in the winter. The atmosphere looks cold and oppressive. The contrast is striking with the scenes set in a pre-revolutionary bath and an expensive restaurant, both reserved for the use of privileged Soviet officials.

The book, by Martin Cruz Smith, is even better. Apted also directed Enigma, and I like both movies a lot.

Rating:
Summary: A great spy flick !!!
Review: Lotsa great performances here - William Hurt, Lee Marvin, etc. It's a gripping mystery that follows the efforts of Hurt as a Russian police detective tracking down vicious murders.

Rating:
Summary: Not Very Entertaining/Interesting--At Least In the Beginning
Review: This is a cold war crime/spy procedural set in Moscow, Russia, based on the book. Three bodies are found in Gorky Park with their faces and finger tips expertly cut off. Right after the police show up, the KGB arrives. I couldn't finish the movie because everything was so contrary to what I imagined Russian society to be like.
Everything and everybody was too polite, clean and proper, from the streets to the policeman's uniforms and the rivalry between policeman and KGB officer. I felt like it was done as a British, almost PBS style detective story. The actors even sounded British. I did like the very noble Russian detective, an idealist, but he seemed more like a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer than anything Russian. The bottom line is I was hoping for something that seemed more authentically Russian.

Rating:
Summary: Not Very Entertaining/Interesting--At Least In the Beginning
Review: This is a cold war crime/spy procedural set in Moscow, Russia, based on the book. Three bodies are found in Gorky Park with their faces and finger tips expertly cut off. Right after the police show up, the KGB arrives. I couldn't finish the movie because everything was so contrary to what I imagined Russian society to be like.
Everything and everybody was too polite, clean and proper, from the streets to the policeman's uniforms and the rivalry between policeman and KGB officer. I felt like it was done as a British, almost PBS style detective story. The actors even sounded British. I did like the very noble Russian detective, an idealist, but he seemed more like a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer than anything Russian. The bottom line is I was hoping for something that seemed more authentically Russian.