definition of a bad movie

Rating: 2/10 (11 March 2008)

This movie is it. It was very difficult to separate my own personal taste from objective review but after a day or two of simmering I think I can encapsulate my thoughts on this truly disappointing movie.
Basic things like expository narration. This is a movie not a radio play. Having the redundant narration of his sister (which was very poorly done) sounding like an actor reading through lines in a coffee shop rehearsal lacked authenticity and constantly removed you from the ability to make your own conclusions about the emotional state of the characters.
The choice to have on multiple occasions Chris stare directly at the camera utterly baffled me. Moments like that (say at the ending of Magnolia) should generally be reserved for situations where character and audience through the weight and momentum of the story are drawn to some mutual realization (not exclusively but you get my drift). Once is maybe OK but, again, as with the narration, the self-centred direction is encouraging us to accept the movie's supposed profundity by continually doing this amateurish nonsense rather than having the confidence to let the story stand on its own merit. Very, very lame direction there.
The dialogue was utterly unbelievable and preachy. Now I can take a story with a moral focus or political slant as much as the next guy but it seems like a case of a writer not having a clue what a screenplay is supposed to be. Actions should be more important than words or at least on equal footing but in this movie, words are not parts of conversations between the characters or even thoughtful narration but rather some sermon directed AT the audience. The movie was like its own good review.."Look at how sublime I am! Look at how profound I am!"
The acting by everyone except Hirsch was good. Hirsch was a single note playing for two and half hours. Zero empathy was derived from his monochrome performance. The character begins self-centred and dies self-centred. It could be argued that his "call it by its real name" blathering was monumental change in his character that was the culmination of this journey but it was sabotaged by an actor with no range and a director with no confidence in either the story or its performers. Instead we are left with everything being spelled out for us ..yet again.. about how seeing the world through Chris' eyes is the only way to see the world.
The only reason I didn't give I a single star was because it looked great.
This movie was a pretty big insult I think, since attempts to spiritualize a character or more correctly, spiritualize his "experiences", without ever giving the audience a chance to empathize. Instead we get sermonized.
This DVD is only good as a coaster for my drink.