Post by roverpup on Jan 23, 2019 0:55:53 GMT
Here's a very positive review that I don't think has been posted...
www.haaretz.com/world-news/europe/.premium-benedict-cumberbatch-brings-his-signature-madness-to-brexit-1.6867471
It's concise, rightly complimentary of BC and Graham, and makes a rather strong argument for the importance of the film and why it should be broadcast in Israel.
The reviewer describes BC's performance as "excellent". He goes on to say - "He taps into the borderline madness that he displayed in “Sherlock” and “Patrick Melrose,” even if much of it sounds more oratorical than conversational. That is no doubt because much of the screenplay was based on interviews with Cummings, which, on the flipside, infuses the character’s lines with authenticity."
As for the approach taken by the film, he says - "The movie has been criticized for oversimplifying the Brexit debate, but this is unfair. Its mission is not to document the entire process, but to shine a light on the most important ramification – not of the referendum itself, but how it was won. The issues raised are those which will have a negative impact on every democracy in the world for decades to come."
In summation - "It has everything a newsy political thriller needs: an intriguing lead character, played by an exceptional actor; a strong script; subject matter that will continue to dominate Britain for a generation or more; and an audience thirsty for some explanation of how their country has found itself in the middle of such an almighty omnishambles – to borrow a phrase from much-loved British satire “The Thick of It.” "
The only quibble (and it is very minor) I have with it is, in citing the film's imperfections, there is this small passage - "It gets away with being predominantly white and male because that is an accurate reflection of British establishment politics."
Well the use of the phrase "gets away with" seems very inappropriate IMO and implies that something bad or untoward was done by the film without being suitably punished. If the film is being praised as an "accurate reflection of British establishment politics" then it didn't get away with anything - it was being true to reality. That's just silly to criticise this production for that (and at the same time praise it for being accurate).
www.haaretz.com/world-news/europe/.premium-benedict-cumberbatch-brings-his-signature-madness-to-brexit-1.6867471
It's concise, rightly complimentary of BC and Graham, and makes a rather strong argument for the importance of the film and why it should be broadcast in Israel.
The reviewer describes BC's performance as "excellent". He goes on to say - "He taps into the borderline madness that he displayed in “Sherlock” and “Patrick Melrose,” even if much of it sounds more oratorical than conversational. That is no doubt because much of the screenplay was based on interviews with Cummings, which, on the flipside, infuses the character’s lines with authenticity."
As for the approach taken by the film, he says - "The movie has been criticized for oversimplifying the Brexit debate, but this is unfair. Its mission is not to document the entire process, but to shine a light on the most important ramification – not of the referendum itself, but how it was won. The issues raised are those which will have a negative impact on every democracy in the world for decades to come."
In summation - "It has everything a newsy political thriller needs: an intriguing lead character, played by an exceptional actor; a strong script; subject matter that will continue to dominate Britain for a generation or more; and an audience thirsty for some explanation of how their country has found itself in the middle of such an almighty omnishambles – to borrow a phrase from much-loved British satire “The Thick of It.” "
The only quibble (and it is very minor) I have with it is, in citing the film's imperfections, there is this small passage - "It gets away with being predominantly white and male because that is an accurate reflection of British establishment politics."
Well the use of the phrase "gets away with" seems very inappropriate IMO and implies that something bad or untoward was done by the film without being suitably punished. If the film is being praised as an "accurate reflection of British establishment politics" then it didn't get away with anything - it was being true to reality. That's just silly to criticise this production for that (and at the same time praise it for being accurate).