Competently, if conventionally told, Mira Nair’s romance adventure “Amelia” is initially a moderately engaging, if still largely unremarkable picture short on the zest (and romance) needed to fuel this meant-to-be inspirational tale of an ambitious dreamer. But by the time it finally reaches its long winded voyage, it’s simply a dull and prosaic effort one wants to get over with already.
Only in this weak cinematic year are an adequate performance by Hilary Swank (is that an meant to be some kind of accent?) touted as an Oscar hopeful, and dry, unremarkable turns by Richard Gere and Ewan McGregor do it no favors (Ewan is that it? Have you already offered the best you ever will?).
Compelling enough (though just barely), the aviatrix biography offers little to no thrills or surprises and after the 90 minute mark, there’s a sharp decrease in narrative fuel to help it cross the finish line. It’s two hours long in total, and by the time the story coasts to its conclusion (spoiler: Amelia Earhart doesn’t make her global aviation journey, not a spoiler if you have a passing education), disinterest and butt-seat boredom has long set in and the climax is but a whimper– not emotional, heartfelt or absorbing.
Ostensibly possessing what Oscar puts a premium on (or used to, we’ll see if they regress again), sweeping musical cues, portrayals of brave and fearless adventurers (especially female nonconformists) and pretty period piece decor and costumes, what “Amelia” lacks are key elements like drama, heart and interesting or likable characters.
Gere is as captivating as sawdust, McGregor shows up in costume to read his lines and Swank is… acceptable… as the adventurous, sometimes-reckless and independent woman that no man can cage (yes, it’s rather full of those pedestrian sentiments). Virginia Madsen apparently played a role in the film somewhere, but she’s been completely cut out (god, what another subplot would have done to the plodding length) and while Christopher Eccleston puts in an admirable turn as an alcoholic navigator, it’s far too little of a role to benefit the whole.
Chemistry between Swank and Gere is non-existent and what light drama does arrive from Amelia’s adulterous dalliances (with McGregor) and mild aviatrix adversary (Mia Wasikowska, who generally has nothing to do), is largely benign and inert. There’s just absolutely nothing to grab hold of or sink your teeth into and the mainly toothless “Amelia” is lacking in any form of piquancy or substance.
Press notes for the film call the picture an “action adventure,” and the latter part of that description is patently untrue. The most thrilling scene in the film is a failed take-off, in and of itself a largely anticlimactic gesture. Her final fate is a tired sequence of tiny mistakes and miscalculations that lead up to her “tragic” (at this point uneventful and flat) demise.
Grounded before it even takes off, a bird clipped of its wings — pick your aviation cliche. All of them are fitting for this formulaic and mostly tedious picture trying to evoke the classic Hollywood style and coming up empty and hollow. If you had this one on your Oscar radar consider your trailer navigation skills in need of major fine tuning, but at least we can all just cross it off our lists. [C-]
No suprise there. I really don't understand the oscar buzz for this film at all. I'll be furious if it's nominated.
Yeah, I never got it either and having been saying since day 1 it was coming up empty (the guys on the team that i am constantly betting can attest to this).
I dunno, it'll sound conceited, but i think it's really easy to read trailers. Therefore, the only conclusion one can have for the rest of the year is that The Lovely Bones is not going to be a serious contender and come up empty handed.
The biggest question mark of the season is not Nine or Invictus (those should get noms in an Oscar 10 year), to me it's really whether the Academy will see through the fraudulence that is Precious. It's 50/50 right now (but it does deserve some acting noms, just not best picture).
Yeah, I've been hearing backlash on Precious too.
I know it's cool to give Avatar a lot of shit because the trailer was weak, but we really have no idea what we're in for to be honest. We could totally be blown away in December. Kris Tapley seems to think it's a contender, and I'm not entirely going to disagree with him either. So there's another question mark as well.
And I hope Invictus is good, but Eastwood gets off easy every year. I remember people were saying Invictus was a contender back when it was still filming, just because Clint was helming and the subject matter was pure Oscar bait.
Uhh, c'mon. Avatar is not a contender. I'll give you stacked odd on that (seriously, i need a to figure out a module on the site that uses paypal to wager bets — is that legal?) cause i'd probably be doing it 5 times a day.
Yeah, as we said in our Invictus script review, it's only a contender because of the Oscar 10. In another year, it might not make it.
This is a particularly mediocre year.
Is there a way I could see all your sites reviews from this year?
What I'm saying is that in a year of ten nominees, there needs to be something that fills that crowd pleasing/blockbuster hole. It also may also scrape by because of the it's massive (?) technical achievments.
Also, Cameron has screened the film for some academy members already. Some of which had hailed it a revolution (although i'm skeptical).
"there needs to be something that fills that crowd pleasing/blockbuster hole."
There does? Says who? I think pundits, fans, critics seem to think oscar voters vote with, "oh, i need one of those types of films," but history generally shows they don't.
Yes, this year is different, but I'm not convinced they're going to say, "I need an indie, I need a blockbuster," etc.
A film i don't think is very good, Inglourious Basterds has a pretty decent shot at being in their too, much more so than Avatar and Precious I think.
Revolution? Technically sure, but anything else seems doubtful.
Also, Oscar voters don't necessarily think they need to make reparations for the Dark Knight and Wall-E like everyone thinks they do.
It was the Oscar committee that changed the Oscar Best Picture to 10 nominees, not the voting body.
1. I never expected Amelia to be any good, especially considering I didn't first see the trailer until about a month ago.
2. Yes, I think we've already seen the best Ewan MacGregor has to offer with Moulin Rouge! God, he's always the same…it's frustrating.
3. Has anyone seen Precious? I was adamently against the movie at first, but after seeing the trailer and hearing about the book on Oprah, I'm kinda interested. But only if they keep it gritty and harsh.
4. Avatar won't get shit. Cause it looks like shit.
5. Our bet still on for the Lovely Bones?
I've seen Precious, very lazy/behind on reviews.
If it gets by it gets by on its solid performances (including Mariah Carey and Lenny Kravitz believe it or not), but the haphazard style, direction and aesthetics are an eye sore.
It still looks like it will get an Oscar nom, but i don't think it deserves one (some of the performances, yes) and if Lee Daniels somehow sneaks in a Best Director nod, they should burn the Academy down.
I will have to bring out my They Better Not Nominate These Guys piece…
Yes, our bet is still on. I forget what it was, but no mind, still on.
"I will have to bring out my They Better Not Nominate These Guys piece"
I hope so. I really dig the lists you guys put together on this site. You put a lot of thought into them unlike other movie sites who will lazily put one together with one sentence and a photo.
The Lovely Bones has been made, and has lay in incubation, SPECIFICALLY for awards consideration. It would have to be PRETTY BAD to not receive one of the ten nominations. A win is another story, but I wouldn't be surprise if the movie was ok-ish and still grabbed a handful of nods in this weak year.
Also, re: Avatar… too soon to tell. Cameron's film will always be somewhat of a contender simply because of Titanic. If Avatar is the year's most interesting big blockbuster (gee, what a feat), it instantly becomes more of a likelihood than, say, The Hurt Locker.
Re: The Lovely Bones – initially the trailer didn't do anything for me, but I saw it again last night in front of "Capatalism: A Love Story" and it really began to click for me. As long as the SFX sequences are kept to a minimum and aren't as cornball as they are in the trailer, it could be a solid little drama.
Re: Precious – I think there is a small backlash brewing, but never underestimate the power of Oprah. I too thought the film has pretty hamfisted, and pretty over the top by the third act, do I do agree some acting nominations are in order. Just not Best Picture or Best Director.
Avatar will probably win all the technical awards given how many of Cameron's buds are already peeing themselves about the SFX, but there is no way it will enter Best Picture territory. Not gonna happen.
Yes! I don't have to watch this movie! That's what you get for stealing Kate Winslet's Oscar!