Well, hello there, kind folks. If you’re visiting this blog of mine, I presume that you have a certain interest in the cinema. As for me, even since my early childhood, I have had a deep love of everything related to movies and television. As far as I can remember, I have been more at ease in front of a screen than in the yard, outside, playing. It is a great way to travel, though other people’s stories, without having to foot any kind of steep bill. Over the years, I feel that movie-watching has even fuelled my own creativity.

All that being said, I welcome you in my Cinephile’s Nest. I hope you enjoy it here, feel free to come back at any time. Here you will find reviews of current movies and older ones. TV shows also. Some classics that have remained some of my favourites, some that have disappointed me. I will use a very basic star (*) system to grade them from 1 to 5 (5 being sliced bread level). Remember, these are just my tastes. I will try to explain in each review what I liked about these particular movies, without giving spoilers.

Il y aura aussi des critiques en français pour les films francophones, car j'aime également le cinéma dans ma langue maternelle. Avant d'apprendre l'anglais, plus jeune, je louais des tonnes de films traduits en français, surtout ceux de Bud Spencer et Terrence Hill. Ma mère a eu le choc de sa vie lorsqu'un jour, dans la boîte d'un de ces films, Deep Throat avait malencontreusement inséré. Une expérience formatrice pour le jeune cinéphile que je suis.

Bienvenue à tous, amusez-vous bien.

I welcome you all here, enjoy yourself.

Wednesday, June 10, 2020

The Last Rites of Joe May (2011)

Genre: Drama
Directed by: Joe Maggio
Starring: Dennis Farina, Jamie Anne Allman, Ian Barford
Running time: 106 minutes



Joe May is a low level aging hustler who comes out of a long stay in the hospital for pneumonia to find out that he has nothing left, with his car being taken away and his apartment being rented to someone else. As he tries to find his way back into a productive life, Joe strikes an unlikely friendship with Jenny, the new tenant of his old apartment, and her young daughter Angelina. Jenny lets Joe live with them in exchange for help with the rent. When Jenny’s boyfriend, an abusive police detective, gets too violent, Joe makes a decision that will have serious consequences.

This is a bleak but very compelling film. Dennis Farina is absolutely solid as Joe May. He makes that character of an aging hustler trying to hang on for dear life to finally find his deal come alive on screen. You have no problem embarking on that character’s trek through the later part of his life and you feel for him. Some of the supporting cast was also good, though there were a few weaker performances.

That last fight scene was not the best choreographed fight I have seen, but, overall, this is a very interesting character study brought to the screen by talented folks. I enjoyed it very much.
Rating: ««««

No comments:

Post a Comment