Pure kitsch

Rating: 2/10 (1 February 2009)

I had already seen other movies by Arenofsky and really hated them. Everything is carefully constructed, but in a bad way: it is done because the audience is always thought to be stupid  it's a case of excessive belief in post-modernity  his movies are completely ideological and he leaves no space for thinking. This one was no exception. In every take he's preaching. It is gratuitous and irrelevant at the same time. Decorative while pretending to be meaningful. It gives an epic dimension to kitschtherefore celebrating America at its worst.
Rourke gets out of the grave to play himself, which must be a feat I guess. And to tell the truth it's a better swan song than Sin city. Marisa Tomei shows her assets. There's not much acting involvedI'd say it's rather a case of editing building up the acting. I bet there'a a huge marketing budget behind this building it all up.
However Arenofsky is no Tarantino; no money will turn this into a good movie. Tarantino really enjoys popular culture there's real pleasure and spontaneity behind his movies, and they actually are more complex than any of Arenofsky's.
Thank god I'm forgetting is as I write !