Uncertainty (2009)
Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Lynn Collins
Directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel
**Currently streaming on Netflix**
Gimmicky movies don't usually win me over. Memento? One of the most overrated films of the last decade. Just because you twist time around doesn't automatically make your film a success. (Same could be said for tv...Lost...bring it all together, I beg of you in these final four episodes.)
Uncertainty has a gimmick, too, and while the tactic itself works, there's not nearly enough story to warrant the film's nearly two hour length.
As the film opens, young couple Kate and Bobby (Lynn Collins and Joseph Gordon-Levitt) stand on the Brooklyn Bridge talking about making a decision. We don't know what the decision concerns, but we know that they can't seem to come to a conclusion. Bobby pulls out a coin, flips it, and the audience is taken to two different realities.
On the heads side, Kate and Bobby attend a July 4th barbecue at Kate's parents' house. It's a simple drama about a Latino family and Kate's struggle to please her mother.
On the tails side, Kate and Bobby find a cell phone in a taxi cab. Little do they know that the cell belongs to some type of mobster who will stop at nothing to get it back.
The film is fairly evenly split between both tales and the co-directors and co-writers do a very good job of switching back and forth between the two stories. We're never away from one or the other for more than five minutes, but it never feels too short or too long. Unfortunately, neither of these stories can maintain any sense of interest over the span of their respective 50 minutes. The family side is pleasant, but there's not any conflict there to make it really be interesting. The mobster side is certainly the more exciting of the two, but it left me wanting more -- there was a whole lot of running, but not much else.
Still, Gordon-Levitt was quite good, and he's certainly proving himself to be a respectable actor of my generation. Lynn Collins doesn't fare as well, but I'm not sure if that's her fault or the silly lines she has to spout at times (although I just read that the cast improvised a lot, so maybe it lies more with her). I will say that I honestly did believe that the two of these actors were a couple, so that's definitely in their favor.
For an indie flick with (one would assume) a low-budget, the film looks really good. Kudos to the cinematographer Rain Li for making the flick look incredibly rich. I was impressed across the board when it came to things like the score, costuming, and that little-recognized under-the-radar stuff.
But, in the end, if the story can't maintain itself, the film doesn't work. Uncertainty is an interesting experiment, but disappointing in execution.
The RyMickey Rating: C-
Memento? One of the most overrated films of the last decade. Just because you twist time around doesn't automatically make your film a success.
ReplyDeleteI lawled.
Also, wouldn't taking a jab at something like Sliding Doors, with a gimmick that's actually similar to the film at hand, be more appropriate?
I actually meant to mention Sliding Doors which I thought of immediately while watching it, but I forgot about it (obviously) when writing the review.
ReplyDeleteI still stand by the fact that Memento is overrated.
It's not even the most overrated Nolan movie of the last decade though.(Dark Knight, even though I love it dearly)
ReplyDeleteIt's also not the most overrated movie for the year it came out.(Gladiator takes this)
You're entitled to not dig it but yeah.
Let me just tell ya...in my film classes, Memento was like an orgasmic experience for some of those film geeks. I must have watched it three times at least in school (and I only took five film classes, so that tells you something).
ReplyDeleteI'm not saying it's the most overrated film of the decade, but it's up there, in my opinion.
I can't say that I read your review (I'm strapped for time!) or that I read the comments (same!), but I can say that I really really liked this movie. My anticipation factor may have slightly skewed my experience.
ReplyDeleteI paid to watch it on my dad's IFC channel. That's saying a lot.
How dare you not read the review!
ReplyDeleteLong story short...I didn't like it all that much. Liked the idea behind it, but didn't think the two stories were strong enough on their own.
I liked the colors.
ReplyDelete