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The Limey

The Limey

List Price: $14.98
Your Price: $11.98
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A different kind of satisfaction . . .
Review: This film is a compact gem of urban storytelling. Wilson, superbly played by Terence Stamp, controls the plot, the pace, and the viewer. The classic notion of the independent protagonist inserting himself, forcing the climax, and then quickly withdrawing is completely realized, here.

Terence Stamp _makes_ this movie. This is not to detract from the excellent cast (most notably Peter Fonda and Lesley Ann Warren), but Stamp conveys-- with a look-- a range of emotion that grabs you and holds you.

Like several others, I watched this film with my wife. But she did not get up and leave, nor did we turn this off after 45 minutes.

So why only four stars? The conclusion . . . which I will not spoil, here. Given the relentless, driven character Stamp develops, the conclusion does not square with Wilson's essential personality and purpose. But this is still worth a watch . . . or two.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Excellent but overstylized film
Review: This is a good solid drama with some strong performances. Wilson (Terence Stamp) is an ex-con who just got out of prison and is looking for answers regarding the death of his estranged daughter in a car crash. He suspects foul play and he is certain that her ex-boyfriend, music magnate Terry Valentine (Peter Fonda) is behind it. So he undertakes to seek the truth with vengeance in his heart, leaving a good deal of carnage in his wake along the way.

The story itself is an interesting human drama including a number of character studies. The drama worked, but the character studies of Wilson, and his daughter Jenny were unsatisfying even though a significant amount of time was devoted to them. The most important character study, that of Wilson himself, leaves us with more questions than answers.

Unfortunately, this film is an example of style overwhelming substance. Director Steven Soderbergh has created an icon of visual style that is so prominent that it overshadowed and pushed the story into the background. In reality, based upon the amount of dialogue and the number of meaningful scenes, this story probably could have been told in 45 minutes. But through the magic of multiple perspectives and redundancies on every scene, Soderbergh managed to double that.

Soderbergh's visual interpretation was nothing short of brilliant. It was creative genius at work to be sure. Veteran cinematographer Edward Lachman must be commended as well. The use of angles, lighting, filters, music, and breathtaking locations near the ocean were all superlative; but those endless cutaways eventually made me want to throw myself from Valentine's swimming pool overlook. Incessantly, sometimes every two or three seconds, he would layer cutaway upon cutaway in a dizzying array of perspectives on the same scene. It is a terrific technique when used to dramatize a point, and Soderbergh is masterfully creative in its use. But to assemble a feature length motion picture from a patchwork of cutaways flitting back and forth through time with constant disruptions in continuity was like eating nothing but your favorite flavor of ice cream as your every meal for a month. There comes a point where too much of a wonderful thing becomes distasteful. It made it seem like Soderbergh was in desperate need of a little Ritalin during post production. (Which is why this film will probably be the delight of the Attention Deficit Generation.)

Terence Stamp gave a strong performance as the tough and enigmatic Wilson. Stamp is an old pro and gives the character power and determination. Peter Fonda's renaissance continues with another fine portrayal. Oddly, this may be the first time I remember him smiling so much. He has played so many dour characters, it almost looked strange to see him grin. Lesley Ann Warren added very little in her role as Elaine, a friend and instructor of Wilson's daughter.

I was very impressed with the work of Nicky Katt, who played Stacey. He was a very cavalier, yet charismatic villain with a wryly philosophical bent that made him both sinister and funny. I'm looking forward to seeing more of his work in the future.

This was an smartly told story that sputtered a bit at the end, but in balance was first rate. It was fabulously filmed from a technical standpoint, but it became a bit too self indulgent. It forgot that the purpose of outstanding filmmaking technique is to enhance the story, not simply to show off. I rated it a 8/10. It is worth seeing just for its merit as an illustration of the art form. If you can survive all the cutaways without sustaining cortical whiplash, you will probably enjoy the excellent story that lies within.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Terrance is lookin good
Review: The picture is good in the DVD, especially the flashback scenes and night scenes.Terrance stamp can really put you in the feelin of this film. If you like the plot of revenge but not so much the style of this movie I reccomend "Payback". Note:Payback is alot more violent than the Limey.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: One great film.
Review: The Limey was one of the best of 99'. This movie just goes to show that a short movie can also have all the action and drama of those long Oscar nominated flicks. Terrence Stamp plays an excellent performance as a gritty, incomprehensible man wanting revenge. I love the way the movie goes back and forth in time to show all the emotions and happenings of the characters. The way the light plays on him in the plane, the way his daughter is always filmed in this haze. You have to rent it to find out.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Has my Stamp of Approval!
Review: This is another good example of a great DVD and what DVD is all about. First off let me say, I'm not really a big fan of Soderbergh(mainly because of "Out of Sight"), but after watching this movie, I had a different perspective. The movie is good and Soderbergh is effective in using a series of flashbacks/flashforwards, to tell the story and thoughts of Terrance Stamp. The audio/video is good and there is enough extra material to keep you happy. If you're a fan of Soderbergh or Stamp, you can't go wrong with this DVD. If you're just like me and looking for something different and good to watch, you're sure to enjoy this movie.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great movie, Terrific DVD
Review: Even if ARTISAN hadn't pulled out all the stops in the production of this disc, it is worth having in order to see a complex, wonderfully acted meditation on love,loss, revenge and redemption. Sound a bit dull? Then simply enjoy it as a gangster drama played out in sunny California. The director doesn't waste a moment, it's imaginatively shot, the music is great and you'll want to talk about it and then see it again. Criminally neglected by the pundits and multiplexes, I hope this disc sells in spades. The director/writer commentary is a scream. Get this disc and try to stop your friends from filching it.'Nuff said!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Gimmicky, Student Film Fare
Review: The initial promo clips I saw for this film led me to believe it was a shlocky, low-budget shoot-'em-up. But when reviews came out calling it a "smart thriller" and I was unable to secure a rental copy for two days as a result of all the praise, I decided to give it a try. After viewing, however, it was easy to determine how my initial impression was formed. But while "The Limey" doesn't really come off as shlocky, the style lends itself to being interpreted as low-budget simply because of it's lack of the type of over-the-top action sequences audiences have come to associate with "action thrillers," and its artsy, student film feel. The premise is simple enough: a revenge tale in which British convict Wilson (Terence Stamp) travels to L.A. upon receiving news from small-time-con-but-good-guy Ed (Luis Guzman) that Wilson's daughter is dead. Her death is seemingly the result of her association with drug-money-laundering, pop music mogul Terry Valentine (Peter Fonda), so Wilson decides to get the facts (sort of) and exact his Limey revenge on his daughter's killer. The rest of the material is apparently an attempt at character sketches that try to cash in on the independent film "hipness" usually given pioneering credit to cinema goob Quentin Tarantino. Disjointed, non-linear scene editing (a gimmick which becomes grating and in some instances makes no sense, as dialogue appears to be delivered from two separate settings at one time), wobbly hand-held camera work (which gives the film its low-budget, documentary look) and casual interplay between minor characters (Stacey and his sidekick at the film set, the hired henchmen discussing Union aspects) are signs of the film trying to be too clever for its own good. Wilson's mini-soliloquy (which is apparently a foreshadowing justification for his ultimate climactic behavior) to the DEA agent is rife with Cockney patter that comes off as merely an attempt to convey to us dumb Americans just how much of a Limey he really is. However, the film is filled with some wonderful acting by just about everyone, especially Peter Fonda, and there is some truly witty dialogue. Leslie Ann Warren is only nominal, and other characters should've also been given deeper development instead of simply peripheral appearances that create several story line loose ends. The climax is refreshing in some ways (it's not the typical, mega-explosion demise of the villain), but maddening in others (pretty anti-climactic given the build-up). The sparse soundtrack is a welcome change too, with some terrific old songs thrown in with perfect timing. Overall, "The Limey" isn't intense enough to really be called an action film, and doesn't have enough suspense to be considered a thriller--more like an artsy drama with gunplay. If I'd seen it at some student film festival, I would have come away thinking it was a pretty well-made student movie. As a major release, it's sadly unimpressive and isn't as hip as it thinks it is. Stars given for the performances.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Where's the STOP button
Review: Well this can't be a complete review, as my wife and I turned off after just 3/4 of an hour - and that was forcing ourselves to go on...

What a terrible movie and not one I would recommend to anyone. Terrence Stamp is unable to provide expression, Peter Fonda seemed to be elsewhere in every scene and nothing holding the movie together.

Don't buy it rent it - and you'll still wish you hadn't !

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Excellent DVD
Review: This is an excellent DVD. The picture quality and sound is well above average. Interesting way of story telling with flashbacks and flashforwards. Difficult to understand the accent at times, but you can just click on the "Subtitles" button. If you get the DVD version pay attention to the special features. Finally after 2 years of DVD usage, someone took time to explain anamorphic, versus letter box formats. I did enjoy this DVD very much.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Limey
Review: I watched this movie with my wife. She got up to take a shower 45min. into it. I think I should have joined her because this movie is not worth watching. The acting was bad, It proves anyone can read a line and stand around trying to look like they are in deep thought. The Dialog is boaring and trying at times. I would expect more from a high school film student. Half the film is rehashing flashbacks and flashforwards. The charicters are boaring and lifeless. The only interesting person in the movie is the 2-bit poolhall killer, and he wasn't that interesting. In the end I'd like to say I had very little feeling for any of the people or what they were doing. Fonda and Stamp couldn't carry this film because they both can't act. I'd give this a -5 stars but Amazon has no - (minus) rating.


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