This time, star actor Robert Pattinson was brought in as the male lead, and Jennifer Jason Leigh was such a cameo. In contrast, the number of non-professional actors has been greatly reduced, with only one supporting actor from "God Knows" and a stunning newcomer little girl. Perhaps because of too many professional actors, the lauded "real image" in past works has been greatly weakened. Although hand-held photography is still used to create a shaky and rough picture, a chase scene in the Flushing mall is quite vivid and enjoyable, but the fictional elements in the script still prevail, and many dramatic plots follow.
Secondly, the characterization is a bit too much. It is obvious that it is "acted" rather than the shaping of the true feelings. Compared with the heroine of "God Knows", the irritable character of the hero in this film is a bit puzzling. On the contrary, the mentally handicapped younger brother's performance is more natural. The two scenes at the beginning and the end allow the restless emotions and desperate sense of fate of the whole film to find an outlet for emotional catharsis, especially the ending scene is quite touching.
Perhaps the Safdie brothers didn't want to repeat the old pattern of "God Knows", and with a sufficient budget, they began to experiment with film, and the use of soundtrack was the most prominent. The soundtrack has the most weight in their work to date, and instead of the previous petty bourgeois jazz ("The Fun of Being Robbed" and "Daddy Long Legs"), electronic music is chosen this time. The nostalgic and futuristic soundtrack reminds me of the Italian Giallo movie in the 1970s. The funfair scene is the most "emotional". The colorful neon lights and electronic soundtrack combine to create an extremely psychedelic visual impact; and there are more in the film. This time, Martin Scorsese's noir crime film tribute (the poster of "After Hours" and the fantasy of "Taxi Driver") fully demonstrates the director's long-standing affection for the city of New York. The Safdie brothers concoct a never-before-seen New York look through a unique aesthetic style, which implicitly fits the restless character of the protagonist and the despairing sense of fate in the story.
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