February 12, 2009
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Please be nice to Kwan.
As the years on my own personal calendar rapidly tumble into history, I've has noticed a drastic and unexpected shift in my cinematic tastes. More and more, films such as Randall Cole's charmingly quirky 2008 indie character piece Real Time are the ones which strike my fancy, forcing me to re-evaluate what, exactly, I want from my motion picture experiences. As the title suggests, the story unfolds in real time, a gimmick which has worked to a lesser extent in other like-minded movies, namely the flaccid Johnny Depp thriller Nick of Time and the lifeless Al Pacino vehicle 88 Minutes. Unlike those failed and nearly unwatchable efforts, Cole's tale of a wise-cracking gambler's last sixty minutes on Earth ensnares your painfully diminished attention from the moment rising star Jay Baruchel wanders into a convenience store, buys a scratch-off lottery ticket, and proceeds to verbally abuse his bad luck. As wonderful and touching as Baruchel's performance may be, he's easily overshadowed by a surprisingly subdued Randy Quaid, whose warm and easy Australian accent actually softens the cruel nature of the amiable underworld assassin he skillfully portrays. The film's final half-hour is beyond phenomenal, topped with the sort of last minute twist that will either shock and astonish you or immediately piss you off. Short, sweet, and to the point, Real Time embodies the spirit of indie cinema without resorting to convention. In other words, I loved it.
Recipe For Success: Randy Quad Toning It Down + Jay Baruchel's Potty Mouth + Randy Cole's Pitch-Perfect Script And Direction
Be Nice To Grandma: If you owe her any money, pay her back immediately.
After all, she did buy you a Nintendo.
Posted by
The Film Fiend
1 Spasms:
Some say the real-time gimmick also worked pretty well in High Noon (four Oscars including Best Picture of 1952).
Too bad nobody in Hollywood has the balls to employ it in a real-time remake of 48 Hours....
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