A few years ago, I saw the shooting footage of this film on "Watching the Movie". It is said that the highlights of the film are completely different from other crime films. They do not use the fresh gun battle scene as a gimmick, but let the actors in a Performing acting in a very cramped space.
Most of the scenes in the film are set in such a small area as "the phone booth on the corner of Manhattan", except for the street scene scene of more than ten minutes at the beginning and the end, we all watched Colin Farley for more than an hour. With the microphone in his hand, he kept talking. From an arrogant publicist wearing a high-end suit and a watch on his hand, to a middle-aged man covered in blood and sweat, on the verge of collapse, the changes between this happened little by little under the gaze of the audience.
Such a bold setting is probably rare even on theatrical stage, let alone Hollywood, which has always been known for its visual impact. This move can really be called a bold experiment on the entertainment assembly line.
Fortunately, the experiment was successful. For the audience, this single-handed play is not only not boring because of the long delay, but is full of tension. The tight progression of the plot, the changing moods of the actors, the rushing voices all create the illusion of shortening time; the starring in and out of the phone booth a few times—though not really leaving—also has the effect of breaking up the space.
If I remember correctly, Colin Farrell has gradually transformed from an idol star to a powerful actor since then. He chose such an extreme movie as an opportunity for transformation, and if he is not careful, it will become a nightmare. Fortunately, he successfully took this step, the characters are very real and full, and the overall performance is impeccable. Those two slightly drooping thick eyebrows also added a bit of natural helplessness to the character.
In addition to the performance of the actors, the rhythm of the film is also very important. The connection of several scenes, the switching of long, medium and short shots, the subjective panning shots, and the expression of split shots are all wonderful and admirable.
The theme behind it is a bit old-fashioned, intimidating education for cheating men who are full of lies. Hollywood has always been shy about educating the people and establishing correct moral values. Apart from them, few people can package violence so well.
I have always mistakenly thought that I downloaded another movie, because it was too vulgar and lacked interest, and I didn't watch it for a long time. Unintentionally opened it today and got a small surprise. Fortunately, did not miss.
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