Something didn't quite click....

Rating: 6/10 (28 March 2003)

I'm all over the place in evaluating this movie because the movie is a mess also. It's got a lot of good qualities and just as many bad ones.
When you read the reviews of this movie, many people get the feel that it is a technical mess. I agree, that it was a technical mess too. I did enjoy it overall, but I didn't find it as enjoyable as it should have been. I have been thinking about this for a few days now since I have seen it. What was missing? I think it tries to bite off more than it can chew and that is its biggest weakness. It is a powerfully emotional film, but, sadly, this level of emotion is lost in attempting to clean up any loose ends or unanswered questions. The film is considerably bogged down by trying to solve a lot issues and emotion is lost. The focus of the entire story is shifted. Then we wind up with a complicated mess of answers, which, for me, raised more questions, because I wasn't sure I was satisfied with the answers/solutions I was given.
It is a good film with great performances, especially by Norton. This is usually the kind of movie I don't enjoy watching because I'm not usually big on films and filmmakers that have an ax to grind. I like to watch movies for entertainment, not to feel like I'm being taught/lectured to.
Do I sound like I am having a hard time making up my mind about this movie?
I am!
I liked it, but I can't put it on my list of top movies because it was too predictable and not very believable. I predicted the ending in the about 10 minutes before it happened and knew what was going to happen in the flashbacks every step of the way.
Another thing I was wondering about was realism....I don't live in CA, and have never been to the bad areas, but is it possible that black gang-members would ever play basketball in Venice (I think it was Venice) with Neo Nazi's? I didn't think that scene was realistic. Also, the movie makes it sound like Neo Nazis are a real threat to society, but how many skinheads are there? I've never met one before, let alone seen one...
I think, these days, people think being unbiased and objective means looking at 2 groups of people and being equally harsh in judging both of them. Maybe I've lived a sheltered life, but I think in attempting to try to be "fair", the movie makes with people out to be a much bigger threat to society than they are. Is there anyone in the USA that is afraid to go out at night because of Neo-Nazis? I think, in attempting to be be unbiased, the movie discredits itself and becomes unrealistic. This is a shame, but the bottom line is that this is a VERY complicated subject matter. I doubt anyone could really make a film of this nature without making lots of missteps.
Rather than trying to find a solution, they should have let the audience decide what to think. I got annoyed when I was spoon fed the "hate is baggage line." Let me figure it out on my own! The best movies are the ones that make you think, not the ones that try to think for you.