fatvegan

The International was pretty stupid. Despite that, it managed to frighten or disturb most of the folks who came to it tonight. It drove one of our number almost to the point of flight, so a speedy hot chocolate stop was in order (by my calculations at least - the decision did cause some controversy).

In the film Clive Owen is great, and manages to add class to even the most appallingly directed lines and facial expressions. Naomi Watts is beautiful, and I am intensely grateful to her for actually ageing, since actors don't seem to do that sort of thing anymore.

But the movie was largely trash. I think there is a new film genre emerging. Or perhaps it is well established by now, but still I am unable to find an appropriate label. I feel that "thinking person's trash" may sum it up, and it certainly applies to this film. It's the sort of film that takes itself very seriously and almost manages to persuade its viewers to do this same. It feels clever without being anything of the sort. In fact, these films are quite the opposite of clever and original. This one was uninteresting, tragically scripted, lazily charactered and painfully plotted. However, the intensity (and possibly even sophistication) of the direction the production values, at times, made these failings somehow feel out of place. These sorts of films tend to be well shot and well produced. They may even have a few very good scenes, as this film did. But even so the dominant vibe is and was trash. Quite elegantly stupid at times, but elegant stupidity still has more in common with conventional stupidity than it does with much else.