Movie Review: The Family
Sep. 25th, 2013 05:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bedsitter23The Family is a four-member family 'fish out of water' tale- American gangsters in France. It's We're the Millers with more Scorcese than Sudekis. Or perhaps The Millers if it was an action film/ gritty drama instead of slapstick comedy.
It's because it's Luc Besson of Fifth Element, Professional,Taken,and The Transporter series fame. It also means DeNiro's gangster send-up couldn't be any more different than his Analyze this character.
Which may be what is wrong with this film as it's a dark comedy or farce more than the standard Hollywood idea of a comedy. The cast is great- DeNiro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Glee's Dianna Algron, and John D'Leo as is the supporting cast- Vincent "Big Pussy" Pastore, Tommy Lee Jones, and ex-WWF star Ted Arcidi.
Besides the cast, the best thing about the movie is Besson who makes an incredibly cool looking film that sticks with the viewer. Unfortunately, Besson is the worst thing about the movie, as his script never quite takes the film where you know it could go. It feels like a series of scenes that have funny moments, but never quite gels. The best moments are clever (DeNiro taking a wink at a DeNiro film is the most non-spoilerish I can do, Michelle Pfeiffer going "Ugly American" and d'Leo taking a page out of "Rock N Roll High School") but never laugh-out-loud funny and are memorable and enjoyable, but never feel particularly original.
The movie does move along fairly well, and the end is closer to an action movie than anything else, which leads to something that most will enjoy, but unlikely to land on anyone's "must watch" list
It's because it's Luc Besson of Fifth Element, Professional,Taken,and The Transporter series fame. It also means DeNiro's gangster send-up couldn't be any more different than his Analyze this character.
Which may be what is wrong with this film as it's a dark comedy or farce more than the standard Hollywood idea of a comedy. The cast is great- DeNiro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Glee's Dianna Algron, and John D'Leo as is the supporting cast- Vincent "Big Pussy" Pastore, Tommy Lee Jones, and ex-WWF star Ted Arcidi.
Besides the cast, the best thing about the movie is Besson who makes an incredibly cool looking film that sticks with the viewer. Unfortunately, Besson is the worst thing about the movie, as his script never quite takes the film where you know it could go. It feels like a series of scenes that have funny moments, but never quite gels. The best moments are clever (DeNiro taking a wink at a DeNiro film is the most non-spoilerish I can do, Michelle Pfeiffer going "Ugly American" and d'Leo taking a page out of "Rock N Roll High School") but never laugh-out-loud funny and are memorable and enjoyable, but never feel particularly original.
The movie does move along fairly well, and the end is closer to an action movie than anything else, which leads to something that most will enjoy, but unlikely to land on anyone's "must watch" list
