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Jonathan Demme updates the original 1962 John Frankenheimer classic with plenty of new paranoid twists: This time a sinister Halliburton-style corporation is behind the brainwashing of a Gulf War hero turned vice presidential nominee, Raymond Shaw (Liev Schreiber). Shaw's old unit commander Ben Marco (Denzel Washington) recommended him for the National Medal of Honor, though he can't remember exactly why, and his recurring nightmares drive him to uncover a massive conspiracy. Sinister forces at work include shifty-eyed bodyguards, a love interest with questionable motives (Kimberly Elise), and Raymond's domineering senator mother (Meryl Streep). Demme infuses the proceedings with enough paranoia and uncomfortable close-ups to rival his 1991 Oscar-winner, SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. Layered sound, overlapping dialogue, and creepy cinematography by Tak Fujimoto (who also worked on LAMBS) further heighten the uneasiness. Demme regulars Roger Corman, Charles Napier, Paul Lazar, and Tracey Walter show up in bit parts as usual. Comedian Al Franken is a welcome face as a TV correspondent, and quirky indie rocker Robyn Hitchcock plays one of the brainwashing specialists. Needless to say, Denzel is superb. Streep is terrifying and hilarious as the maniacal Mrs. Shaw. As with the original (which focused on communist instead of terrorist fear-mongering), the events depicted here are doubly unsettling considering their uncanny resemblance to real-life politics at the time of this film's theatrical release.
i have watched this movie so very many times that i know most of the dialog by heart! My my my my mymy my my i would have paid more for the disc ifn it had had a case to it but......alas and alack that was not to be
***MINIMAL SPOILERS***
This is a remake of the 1962 movie written by Richard Condon, and the theme is about brainwashing.
The remake's background is the Gulf War incidents versus the 1962's version of the Cold War Directed by John Frankenheimer.
The 1962 stars Frank Sinatra, Lawrence Harvey, Janet Leigh, and Angela Lansbury. The 2004 version stars Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep, and Jon Voight, Directed by Jonathan Demme.
The 2004 version adequately tells the story; the central theme has not changed from the original storyline.
This remake of the classic film with Frank Sinatra, Lawrence Harvey, Angela Lansbury and Janet Leigh does the original script honor. Denzel Washington, as usual, is terrific, and Meryl Streep and Liev Schreiber deliver the goods. Streep presents a character that is at once the classic domineering mother on a worldwide political stage, while giving insight into the darkness of her real relationship to her son and her own ambitions. Very nice piece of work here.
Action is really good, not too much but just enough to keep the plot moving. The tension builds at a good pace. The characters are sharply defined doing service to the original plot. Jonathan Demme is up to his usual excellence and the viewer is rewarded because of it.
Highly recommend. Get out the popcorn and settle in.