So-So

Rating: 6/10 (18 April 2006)

I'm amazed that so many reviewers comment on the amount of smoking in the picture. Big Deal! I can't really say I was crazy about this movie and actually started it (only to stop it) at least three times before I finally got around to finishing it. It just wasn't that captivating. The style of George Clooney is definitely artistic in his own noir way but there just wasn't much about the story to keep me glued to the screen. David Straitharn as usual is great; what Robert Downey, Jr. was doing I don't know - he didn't seem to have much to do. Neither did Jeff Daniels. Frank Langella's Bill Paley was odd to say the least since he (Paley)has ususally been eulogized as such a teddy bear. The whole thing about Downey and Clarkson being married was another weird point to make in the film. Best Picture? Not to me. I could have easily chosen Brokeback Mountain or Walk the Line. I can see this film being shown on HBO for the next century, kind of like they did Quiz Show, another generally boring film.