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Dead Man Down starring Colin Farrell & Noomi Rapace: Solid Action-Drama

Posted on June 27, 2013 Written by ripitup

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colin farrell-dead-man-down
Image via fanpop.com.

Victor (Colin Farrell) is one of the best men working for the gangster Alphonse (Terrence Howard). However Victor does seem to have an agenda – something he is pursuing whenever he isn’t around Alphonse and his men.

Beatrice (Noomi Rapace) is a young woman who lives in the apartment building across him. She has been in a car crash, and her face still shows some of the scars despite reconstructive surgeries. She is being mocked by kids, doesn’t feel “authoritative enough” to go back to her job as a beautician.

Victor says yes, wondering if she has witnessed the murder he committed in his flat. She has, and this is why she asked him out- she has a “business” proposal. Victor can kill the man who caused her accident (and didn’t serve much in prison), and she can forget about the murder. Or she can go the cops.

Victor is obligated to accept, because he is not exactly a cold-blooded killer.

But as Beatrice spends more time with and around Victor (she gives him info on his “target”, and finds excuses to hang around to find out more about him), they start feeling a connection.
And as much as Victor develops feelings for Beatrice, he’s running out of time to take his own revenge on a very large scale; and this will get them both in more danger.

*

Dead Man Down is a nice action/drama hybrid that balances drama and action well.

Farrell first appears as any other hired gun. He watches his boss’ back, is cool and composed. But you do sense something is different, and soon it is revelead that he is working for Alphonse (Terrence Howard) for a whole other reason- and this gives us a new perspective on his career, and explains why a “killer” wouldn’t just kill Beatrice and be done with her for good.

Rapace also fleshes Beatrice out. You find yourself identifying with her. You understand why she might start hating so much, and the pain would finally compel her to consider something so drastic. And frankly, while I wouldn’t go as far as comtemplating murder, I think I’d have made sure the drunk (who ran me over without any punishments and messed up my joy of life, health and confidence) ended up beaten up pretty badly or something. And because she is in a dark state of mind, she has the balls to ask a “killer” out, and makes her threat without taking precautions. If he went nuts and killed her right there and then, she wouldn’t have minded terribly.

But as they give each other more moments to smile about, the attraction grows.

*
I’ll admit that I was positively biased before watching this. I love a good revenge story based on the loss of a loved one. I love that they didn’t go that way for Rapace’s character, but her acting and psychology enables us to empathize at one leve or another. I also like the cast, and I was sold from the trailer.

Add a well-shot, well-acted full feature with a decent soundtrack, and well, I already saw Dead Man Down twice, enjoying it even more the second time. Through a second viewing, character actions and motivations make even more sense.

While some viewers didn’t find the cruel kids’ reaction to Beatrice (calling her a monster, throwning stones at her) not realistic, they should remember that some kids, like people, can be cruel for the most superficial of all reasons- and they should be happy they haven’t been exposed to such behaviour. Those viewers should also watch Mads Mikkelsen’s The Hunt. Sometimes kids can do scary, unimaginable things…

Dead Man Down has entered the list of favorite revenge movies, and it looks like it’ll remain there. 5 other revenge movies I really love are on covered on this post: 5 Awesome Revenge Movies feat. Gerard Butler, Kevin Bacon, Antonio Banderas, Brandon Lee and Mel Gibson.

 
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Also on Colin Farrell:

The Recruit starring Colin Farrell, Al Pacino and Bridget Moynahan

 Pride and Glory review – starring Edward Norton and Colin Farrell

London Boulevard starring Colin Farrell & Keira Knightley

 

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Filed Under: Movies and Actors Tagged With: Colin Farrell, colin farrell dead man down, Dead Man Down, Dead Man Down cast, Dead Man Down movie, Dead Man Down movie plot, Dead Man Down movie review, Noomi Rapace, noomi rapace dead man down, Terrence Howard

Angel Eyes starring Jim Caviezel and Jennifer Lopez

Posted on December 3, 2011 Written by ripitup

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Jennifer Lopez Angel Eyes movie poster
Angel Eyes starring Jim Caviezel and Jennifer Lopez. A film by Luis Mandoki. Image via sweetslyrics.com

 

Catch (Jim Caviezel) is a loner who spends his days wandering about and helping people when he can.

Sharon (Jennifer Lopez) is a single cop who has a problematic relationship with her family.

When Catch saves Sharon’s life during a chase, they connect. Catch is nothing like the guys around her, and she can’t help but being drawn to him. But the mystery about him is annoying her as he doesn’t seem to want to share anything about his own life while he’s more than happy to be involved in hers. But as they don’t want to stop being around each other, Catch makes more of an effort and Sharon ignores the things that don’t make sense. But Catch’s past- a past that he doesn’t remember all that well-eventually catches up with them. Can the relationship survive what he has gone through?

Jim Caviezel and Jennifer Lopez in Angel Eyes
Jim Caviezel and Jennifer Lopez in Angel Eyes. Image via angel_cineclub.de

Angel Eyes is a sweet romantic drama with a decent story. Sure, there are a few things about the movie I’d have done differently (such as some scenes, the timeline and mostly the soundtrack).

But it is entirely watchable and likeable, especially if you are a romantic who enjoys emotional stories that haven’t been injected with extra tragedy to be a tear-jerker.

Attention to the word extra: there is a tragedy in the core. This is the first movie I had seen Jim Caviezel in and needless to say he made a good impression. The guy can pull off tall, dark, mysterious and handsome.

 

You’re strongly recommended to ignore the  genre label on IMDB as it is also featured as a thriller. It’s not. It’s good old fashioned romantic drama directed by Luis Mandoki who directed When a Man Loves a Woman, Trapped, Message in a Bottle, White Palace and more. And frankly, it does deserve a bit more than 5.5 (its imdb rating).

 

Fun note: Terrence Howard has a supporting role as one of Jennifer Lopez’s cop buddies, and Jeremy Sisto plays her brother.

 

Other Articles on the Cast

Also on Jim Caviezel

Jim Caviezel Trivia

High Crimes starring Jim Caviezel & Ashley Judd

Person of Interest starring Jim Caviezel and Michael Emerson

 

Also on Terrence Howard

Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges & Terrence Howard

The Ledge starring Charlie Hunnam, Terrence Howard

The Hunting Party starring Richard Gere, Terrence Howard and Jesse Eisenberg

Also on Jennifer Lopez

Monster in Law starring Jennifer Lopez, Jane Fonda and Michael Vartan

The Back-up Plan starring Jennifer Lopez and Alex O’Loughlin

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Filed Under: Movies and Actors Tagged With: angel eyes, angel eyes 2001, angel eyes cast, angel eyes jim caviezel, angel eyes movie, drama, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer lopez angel eyes, Jennifer lopez movies, Jeremy sisto, Jim Caviezel, jim caviezel angel eyes, jim caviezel movies, Luis Mandoki, luis mandoki movies, mystery, romance, Terrence Howard

The Ledge starring Charlie Hunnam, Liv Tyler, Patrick Wilson & Terrence Howard

Posted on August 4, 2011 Written by ripitup

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The Ledge Plot –  No spoilers if you have seen the trailer

 

The Ledge starring Charlie Hunnam, Liv Tyler, Patrick Wilson & Terrence Howard. Written & directed by Matthew Chapman.
The Ledge starring Charlie Hunnam, Liv Tyler, Patrick Wilson & Terrence Howard. Written & directed by Matthew Chapman. Image via daemonsmovies.com

Police detective Hollis (Terrence Howard) is having a very bad day: he has just learned that he is sterile, and now he has to talk a young man named Gavin (Charlie Hunnam) out of jumping from the top of a very high building. Unfortunately for Hollis, Gavin is not a suicidal guy having second thoughts. In fact, Gavin doesn’t want to die. But if he doesn’t jump in an hour, someone else will die. The movie progresses as Gavin tells him his story:

First, he falls in lust with the wife (Shana, played by Liv Tyler) of his extremely religious neighbor Joe (Patrick Wilson). His desire to bed Shana only increases after Joe tries to inflict his opinions on salvation upon him, and his gay roommate Chris (Christopher Gorham). It doesn’t help matters that he now sees Shana every day as she has started to work for Gavin.

Unfortunately for both Shana and Gavin, the lust turns into a deeper connection, and then into an affair.

But of course when Joe finds out, he doesn’t take it lightly. He gives Gavin two options: He’ll either jump from the ledge at the designated hour, or Shana will die.

So what will it be? Who will die? Or can we really get a Hollywood-style happy ending…?

Review: You Should See It!

The Ledge is one of the movies where you get everything the trailer promises. If you liked the trailer, there is a big chance you’ll like the movie.

The Ledge is a very well-done combination of drama, romance and thriller. We are always wondering whether Gavin will jump while we listen to his story in flashbacks.  Writer/director Matthew Chapman gives us compelling and grey characters with Gavin and Shana, while we get more white with Hollis and more black with Joe. Patrick Wilson really has made a cool villain, and I really liked Charlie Hunnam and Liv Tyler together.

Whether you’d go for Charlie Hunnam or Patrick Wilson (lookswise) is besides the point. Whether cheating is bad is besides the point. The real question here is would you choose to give up your own life to save somebody you love? Would you take the cheated party’s word that your lover would survive if you sacrificed yourself?

The most compelling thing about the film is that Gavin is not really a hero. He is just a regular guy, with his own demons – demons that probably have a lot to why he chooses to be on the ledge, and not just his love for Shana.

All in all, it is a very entertaining movie with a good ending. I don’t approve all of the decisions that lead us to the ending, but I really loved the movie as a whole. It’s intriguing, passionate and provocative.

 

Highly Recommended. Currently rated at 7.3 on IMDB.

 

P.S. This movie will also go into my “When Adultery Is OK” movies list.

Other movies where I am OK with the cheating:

The Scarlet Letter starring Gary Oldman, Demi Moore & Robert Duvall

Revenge starring Kevin Costner, Madeleine Stowe & Anthony Quinn

The English Patient starring Ralph Fiennes, Kristin Scott Thomas & Colin Firth

Other Articles on the Cast

Patrick Wilson

Morning Glory starring Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton & Patrick Wilson

The A-Team starring Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Jessica Biel, Patrick Wilson, Sharlto Copley & Quinton Rampage Jackson

Watchmen starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Malin Akerman, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Haley and Patrick Wilson

Patrick Wilson Trivia

 

Liv Tyler

The Incredible Hulk starring Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth & William Hurt: Updated

Terrence Howard

The Hunting Party starring Richard Gere, Terrence Howard and Jesse Eisenberg

The Hunting Party starring Richard Gere, Terrence Howard and Jesse Eisenberg

Christopher Gorham

Covert Affairs starring Piper Perabo, Christopher Gorham & Kari Matchett

 

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Filed Under: Movies and Actors Tagged With: Charlie Hunnam, chris gorham, Christopher Gorham, drama, Liv Tyler, matthew chapman, movies, Patrick Wilson, Terrence Howard, the ledge, the ledge 2011, the ledge movie, the ledge trailer, thriller

The Hunting Party starring Richard Gere, Terrence Howard and Jesse Eisenberg

Posted on September 8, 2010 Written by ripitup

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The Hunting Party starring Richard Gere, Terrence Howard and Jesse Eisenberg
The Hunting Party starring Richard Gere, Terrence Howard and Jesse Eisenberg. Written and directed by Richard Shepard, 2007. Image via richardshepard.com

Simon Hunt (Richard Gere) is a very successful news reporter and makes the perfect team with his cameraman Duck (Terrence Howard). They are good friends and Duck is pretty OK with how fun and a little crazy Hunt is. They get into trouble but they are also the best.

However one instance changes this forever. Simon reaches his breaking point and has an outraged outburst, live. He gets fired and his career goes downhill. But Duck gets to be “safe” and becomes the cameraman for the anchorman. While this is trading up in many ways, Duck can’t help but miss his days with Hunt. In 2000, years after the Bosnian War ended, Duck is there with the anchor and a rookie named Benjamin (Jesse Eisenberg), freshly graduated from Harvard and who happens to be a son of the network’s vice president.

However the peaceful and harmless mission is disrupted when Hunt makes an appearance and offers a “job” for Duck. And it is not harmless at all: Simon thinks he can find the biggest criminal of that war: the  man responsible for countless killings and rapes- the man whose capturers will earn 5,000,000. Of course while this man is a criminal for Bosnia and the most of the world, he is a national hero for most Serbians and they are willing to protect this man no matter what.

As crazy as this is, Duck and Benjamin join Hunt, hoping that they will just make an interview with the man. However it becomes clear that Hunt is not only after financial relief but personal vengeance as well. Can they really get to this guy without getting killed? And how the hell are three reporters supposed to survive without any weapons at all?

The Hunting Party is partially based on a true story and it is a very intriguing adventure/drama/thriller about war, journalism and friendship. It has some comedic relief, and even though it is an easy film to watch, the events told are anything but.

This is a fun and thought-provoking movie, although it can drag a bit at times. Even though it is not as impressive Lord of War (sure, different topic but the subject matters are equally heavy), it is a solid film with fine performances. And just like Lord of War’s notes (telling us what eventually happens or will keep happening) at the end credits, The Hunting Party also ends on a note that makes you say “Holy Shit!”

The three leads are just fine and I don’t think there was any reason to cast Diane Kruger as she appears for as a couple of minutes. Written and directed by Richard Shepard. Based on an article by Scott Anderson.

Currently 7.0 on IMDB.

Other Posts on Jesse Eisenberg

Cursed starring Christina Ricci, Joshua Jackson & Jesse Eisenberg

The Social Network starring Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake and Armie Hammer

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Filed Under: Movies and Actors Tagged With: adventure, Diane Kruger, drama, jesse eiseberg, movies, Richard Gere, richard gere movies, richard shepard, Terrence Howard, terrence howard movies, the hunting party, the hunting party movie, thriller, war

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