Could it BE any slower

Rating: 4/10 (17 August 1999)

Wait for the video.
C'mon, if it wasn't for Kubrick' name this movie would be a flop. Way too slowly paced (even for those with a good attention spans) and it left too many unanswered questions.
There was definitely potential in the script but it mostly went unexplored. It almost seems like he couldn't decide between making a XXX movie with a good story line or an R rated film with a lot of sex. The only problem was there was not enough sex for a XXX movie and not enough story for an R.
Don't even get me started on that 'minimalist' piano score throughout the film, I was very over it after an hour by which time it just grated. (Although I will say that the cinema we saw it in seemed to have the volume turned up a bit too far which didn't really help the situation). I will say that the lighting and camera work was a nice change compared to the majority of films that come out these days.
I know he's dead, but even so what's the point in glorifying this film. He had a great career. Even the reviews I read beforehand gave it a high rating but they didn't really rave about it, I got the feeling that they felt as though they should give it a good rating. Get over it, call a flop a flop, he's allowed at least one isn't he ?