Rating: Summary: . Review: Movies like this are what make the word "overrated" so much fun. And overrated it is. I have nothing in particular against the film, but I can't figure what the fuss is about. Schwartzman is interesting, sure, and it's nice to see Billy Murray at work in quirky independant movies. There are a few genuinely hilarious sequences. But on the whole, this is a shambling and unsatisfactory film. There were many scenes which seemed full of promise that simply didn't go anywhere, and the director would tend to cut to something else just as things were getting sort of interesting. The relationships of the characters to each other felt vastly underexplored somehow, cheating certain situations out of their full potential. The story felt aimless, almost dreamlike, but I couldn't even tell if this was intentional or not. And Billy Murray has received way too much praise from all the indie-rock kids who love this movie so much -- he conveys a gamut of emotions, as one reviewer said. Does he? No. I enjoyed his prescence in the film, but all he really does is furrow his brow and look oddly frumpy through the entirety of the picture. And like other aspects of the movie, his character remains ridiculously oblique and unexplored -- we never really understand anything about him at all, and as a result, he's only interesting when serving as a comic foil for Schwartzman. But although some of the humor is quite rich, there isn't enough of it (or enough of anything else, for that matter), to break above the 2 star mark. Oh, alright -- 2-and-a-half, maybe. But what can I say? -- it's not all that great. Maybe there's some kind of nostalgic magic under the surface that I somehow missed out on, but I guarantee you I was looking for it, and I like unconventional and independant movies, too. A soundtrack full of the Kinks might help, but it isn't enough; this one just didn't make the cut.
Rating: Summary: Quirky but satisfying Review: You wont see many films like this. No matter how odd the concept everything is so beautifully real. Neatly packaged story of success (well kind of) failure and resurrection set in school. A schoolboy crush, and old man's fantasy and everyone living a dream. It is like looking at life through a distorting mirror but seeing more clearly as a result of it. The characters are great the dialogue is wonderful. It leaves you with that uneasy realisation that life is all about making the best of yourself and never denying others the opportunity of experiencing the real you.
Rating: Summary: Love's Labour Really Lost Review: I love edgy comedy. I love independent movies. I love arthouse cinema, foreign film, Elvis Mitchell, the collected works of Pauline Kael and Bill Murray's serio-comic performances. And oh how I hate this movie. An amusing 45 minute sketch drawn out beyond endurance. Tried it in the theater. Tried it on DVD. Alas, alack, a loser.
Rating: Summary: Better seen and hated, than not seen at all! Review: Good things were said of Wes Andersons debut, "Bottle Rocket". To me, it was a slight and forgettable film, though likeable. "Rushmore", however, is a tremendous sophomore accomplishment!This intelligent comedy is at once constantly surprising and inventive, yet almost perfectly structured. Perfectly cast (Murray has never been better than this, and Schwartzman is an outright revelation!) and expertly executed, this is a truly invigorating and joyous movie that I have not only seen several times (a rare feat for me), but one which I also revel in introducing friends to to their undivided approval (so far, anyway). In short: A film not to be missed! You might not like it, but still I believe you're better off seeing it and disliking it, than not having given yourself the privilege to judge for yourself. To me, it was maybe the biggest experience US movies had to offer in all of 1999.
Rating: Summary: Can you rate a movie zero stars? Review: ... I did not laugh a single time at this movie. It seemed tome to be written and directed by a fifteen-year-old who had justdiscovered that being quirky is cool. My idea of subtle, quirky humor is "Cold Comfort Farm" or "Chasing Amy." "Rushmore" is a movie about high school that seems like it was written by a high-schooler. By the way, if you want to see a great movie about high school, see "Election." END
Rating: Summary: One of the best American films in years Review: Rushmore is a great film... Rushmore is intelligent, relevantand funny in a dark, subtle manner. It creates its own stereotypes andinvites the audience to laugh at them. Yet in the end, Rushmore is a film about love, life, and growing up which means that it contains very sensitive themes. yet, unlike most American movies, it does not treat them in a mushy, manipulative fashion. I recommend it warmly.
Rating: Summary: Good Movie Review: For all those who enjoy a romantic/light comedy ...this is definitely your movie, however, the key to watching this movie is to remove all expectancy of it being a great movie, one should watch it with no expectation..in other words suspend your suspend disbelief. This is the key to enjoying this, or any other, movie
Rating: Summary: Got me excited about movies again Review: For years I loved movies, couldn't get enough of them. Then all of a sudden I stopped going to them, stopped watching them except for the occasional daliance. This movie got me excited about movies again. It's a movie in a class by itself, there is no genre or enough words to describe it. It amazes me how many of the reviewers on here hated this movie. The ones who hated it, really HATED it. What is wrong with people today? This is the audience that made me dislike movies, the masses that require cookie cutter plots, pointless action, and thoughtless humor in order to be satisfied. It isn't often a complete gem of a movie comes along and grabs me but this one did. Bill Murray turns in his best performance ever. I'm sure the people going into this movie expecting Mr. Crazy-Funny-Groundhog-Day Bill Murray were sadly disappointed by a Bill Murray who can actually convey the gammut of emotions in a single movie. I have extraordinary respect for Mr. Murray, more so now than I did before. And the kid who plays Max really surprised me. I can't remember what his name is and I don't want to look it up but I know he's related to Talia Shire somehow. He's going to be one to watch. As long as movies like this keep coming out once in a while (for another gem, check out "Election") I won't let the simpleton American movie grinches who seem to populate the key demographics on movie producers' exit poll ratings flow charts ruin my good time.
Rating: Summary: An Ingenious Masterpiece! Review: This movie is plain and simply a work of art. The dialogue is witty and clever. The cast did an excellent job in portraying the personalities behind the characters. Their acting ability makes you forget that these are not real people--you forget that they are "celebrities." I loved this movie so much that I actually spent $8.00 at the theater 2x. The comedic lines and scenes are not ones that eventually get boring. And unlike other comedies, Rushmore has substance--a real plot the audience can follow and appreciate. I found myself referring to Max as a real person when discussing the film w/ friends and I empathized with him; my heart went out to him at times. This is an unforgettable movie. Hats off to Wes. A superb job!
Rating: Summary: Rush out to go and get More Review: Rushmore is a very funny and very entertaining piece of cinema. Couple this with Election and you've got two of the most amusing and original films from America in years. I'm glad Bill Murray is finally applying his type of deadpan humour to more serious acting, as he demonstrates how well he can do it in this film - he's certainly one of America's finest comedians. Finally, someone remembers that a script is better for a movie than a big budget. The DVD is pretty empty, so save your money for the Criterion edition which looks to be rather good. But don't forget that you really should get this, which shows up nearly all other American comedies in the 90s with its wit and lack of gross-out jokes to keep you entertained.
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