Saturday, June 23, 2012

The Life of David Gale (2003) - Drama


Another run of the mill movie which tries too hard to make its point. Unfortunately it never worked for me because up till the half time it goes good and then it becomes predictable. I could actually predict what’s going to happen next – it was that easy. Although it has two of my favorite actors – Kevin Spacey will get my vote always – hands down. Kate Winslet is too beautiful to be ignored anyways. I have almost seen all the movies of them both back to back to back. Somehow missed this one but now I have seen this one too. It would be an awesome watch – if only you are not able to predict and let me tell you – you will be in for a big shock in the end J. Yes, it's a good one time watch for sure as even if you know what's going to happen – you are still interested to see - How it's going to happen. Kevin Spacey is too good and I am sure this was a cake walk for him as you see him at such an ease with the character right from the word “GO”. Support cast is too good, right from his best friend and colleague, to his lawyer and even guy who plays “Kate’s” colleague leaves a good impression on you. Check it out, who knows you may end up liking it. It does leave couple of questions unanswered in the end.

The movie starts quite well with Kevin spacey making his funda clear in front of everybody about the capital punishment. He even argues with the governor of the state on live TV show but loses the debated cause he couldn't name one innocent man executed wrongly. He is a top notch philosophy professor at Harvard University. Flat half an hour into the movie and it starts becoming predictable. Right from the moment when he screws one of his X Students from the university – you exactly know where this story is going to go and take a bad turn. Immediately next day he is arrested, finally once he comes out of the same, loses his job, family and everything. Later he is framed for the murder of his own X colleague who was his own right hand in all the campaigning they did against capital punishment. Ironically he too becomes a death row inmate and is to be executed in couple of days. Before he is executed, he lawyer negotiates half a million dollars deal with a News Magazine to give his real story only to a female reporter working with them who has a reputation of protecting her sources.

Kevin Spacey is too good on his part. He plays the role of a professor perfectly. A frustrated Dad too good. A perfect friend and later an innocent man waiting for his own execution, who fought against the same punishment. It’s heartening to see his frustration, life going upside down and at times hitting a dead end. What did not impress me is the treatment, at best you can call it a drama as there is no emergency feel here as if everything is preplanned and all set to go the way its going. I guess that's the reason why this didn’t make that big impact as it was supposed to. Still it makes it up for a good one time watch, although it’s a little too long from that point of view too. But am I complaining? No I am not as I am a big Kevin Spacey fan and I like as long as he is on screen J whatever he does – he does it well. And this wasn't an exception either, if you are not able to guess the ending and if it doesn't becomes predictable to you like it was for me. It does deliver a punch in the end. Even I had that lump in the throat feeling in the end and I am sure the people who saw this one in theater – would have surely walked out of theater with their heads down and in complete silence. Do let me know your thoughts – if you see it. I would love to know how you feel.

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