Friday Night Flicks

A sleeper movie is a term generally used for a quality movie that was rarely seen, either due to lack of marketing or when blockbusters were released at the same time. The movie Power (1986) directed by legendary Sidney Lumet is one of the best sleeper movies of the 80s. Most people haven’t seen it, and most people can’t answer the movie trivia question: What 80s movie stars Richard Gere, Gene Hackman, Denzel Washington, Julie Christie, Kate Capshaw, J.T. Walsh, E.G Marshell, Beatrice Straight, and directed by Sidney Lumet?

The essence of the movie is about high paid political consultants, the experts behind the political campaigns who help get governors and senators elected. The twist that adds suspense to this this drama is a corrupt politician client influenced by middle eastern oil company lobbyists, and illegal activity plus moral judgment that is injected into the life of the campaign consultant. While the movie is over 20 years old, it applies extremely well to politics and campaigning today. This well directed movie includes excellent acting, great cast, and smart dialog.

Some of the best lines of the movie apply well to politics in any era: “If you want to win the undecided votes, you need to remain undecided on the issues” and “People generally vote for who they like.”  And if you end up a fan of this movie, then check out an older one with Robert Redford that is a drama and nearly a comedy called The Candidate (1972).

Today’s movie fare was Danish movie Just Another Love Story . This movie is a warped/twisted (and much better) version of the movie  While You Were Sleeping.

The movie starts with three love story vignettes. The first: a man laying on the concrete describing how the police will soon arrive to chalk his body, the second: a couple making love and finally:  a man wincing at the .357 Magnum being pointed at his head by a lovely young lady.

At the conclusion of “love” stories we begin our movie. The story starts with our protagonist Jonas. Jonas is a forensic photographer leading a rather unremarkable life with a wife, two children and a broken ass piece of shit car.

On the way to drop the kids off at school. Jonas’ car breaks down causing a crash which drastically injures our 2^nd protagonist Julia. Feeling guilty Jonas goes to visit Julia in the hospital taking the role of Julia’s abusive boyfriend Sebastian.  Jonas becomes infatuated with Julia, Julia’s family becomes infat stuated with “Sebastian”, Jonas’ police buddies give him crap for the situation he is in. All the while we gain a better understanding of obsession, abuse, stagnate marriage and the reach for something supposidly better.

Brilliant performances and a well composed noir script make this a film worth watching.