I enjoy watching Anthony Hopkins, because he gets completely absorbed in playing the "bad guy" with the thick creepy accent, and all. You can see he savors his roles. Hence, that is the problem with most Hollywood movies: How do they make the good guy, complex, interesting, and fun too?
Every hero has to appear to be generally disturbed or disturbing, self-absorbed, a genuine asshat, before he realizes the errors of his way, and does some good. The question is usually: does he find enlightenment within the appropriate - 90 minutes of film - time?
Essentially, that is the context of this film. Since we know who the killer is, the theme is whether our heroic asshat will be able to take down our sneaky, smart bad guy within the nick of time.
I know the casting directors - or powers that be - meant well when they cast Anthony Hopkins in this film. Frankly, for a film as American as this one, he's too heavy for this script.
At first I thought sweet faced Ryan Gosling - he's so cute - was miscast for this film. But he's not. He's got the cocky asshat, hiding a determined sensitive soul, down pat. He is playing the right role for this movie.
Unfortunately, Hopkins is not. He's too welll known for this film. Gosling is overmatched. Hopkins' character is solely about a rich smuck outsmarting the DA. Well, this stuff can be seen daily in any CSI, or Law and Order franchise episode. I should know, I've watched nearly every episode of these shows.
A more suitable role would have been an unknown, yet familiar actor from TV shows or commercials against Gosling. It would have worked, because an unknown actor would provide more depth to the suspect husband's role. It would have made him mysterious and scary.
Alas, this movie was a thriller without the thrill. |
