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psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2021-02-17, 17:23

Why? The Travis Bickle-y parallels of someone fed up with everything around him, etc.? I kinda view those two in a similar way, but the time/location couldn't be more different (90's west coast vs. 70's NYC). And, unlike Bickle, Douglas' character had a family (estranged, yes, but a family), a good job, etc. so it was probably a farther fall for him. Bickle started out crazy, Douglas' character eased into it, IMO. He struck me as looking for a reason/excuse, and that day provided one.

I didn't like it. I saw it at the theater upon release in 1993 and thought it was a bit cartoon-y. It had a couple of moments, but, overall, it was a slog. It was grim and mean. He wasn't someone to root for/support, and he made his day worse with each decision/step. He had many chances to walk away, let it go, disengage, etc. and he chose not to. When people make their own hell, I find it tough to throw in. Whatever sympathy/understanding he might've had at the start, he pissed it away with each little "adventure" or outburst.

I think it was presented as an "everyman snaps" movie, but I considered him an unsympathetic villain. When he took out his anger/frustration at the fast food place and scared everyone there who had no beef with him, making that kid cry out of fear, etc., I was pretty much done and thought "he's too far gone, because now everyone's his enemy", and it didn't start out that way. By halfway into it, he would've hurt/harassed anyone, even those who didn't deserve it.

I did like how he chased off the two gangbangers who wanted his briefcase. But I hate thieves/thugs, so I enjoyed that scene and won't apologize for that. I had a Disneyland trip, and a couple of other instances in my time in SoCal, marred by these bald-headed, tattoo-necked cocksuckers, so my tolerance/patience for their ilk is non-existent, less than zero.

But he was a bad guy. If his life was that shitty/unsatisfying, he should've eaten a bullet soon after abandoning his car. But then nobody would pay to see an 11-minute movie, would they?

I was rooting for Robert Duvall the entire time. As I do in most everything he's in. I was hoping he wasn't going to die in his efforts to stop Douglas' character. I was kinda braced for that.

Michael Douglas was no noble hero by any stretch. He was a mental patient, and dangerous. And got what was coming to him.

Why? Did you assume I liked him or thought he was cool or something? Because I didn't. He reminded me of someone I once knew, so it wasn't a pleasant movie.

Frankly, by the mid-90's I was quite sick and tired of seeing Michael Douglas pop up in every damn movie I went to. He's a fine actor, but shit...he was in everything for about a 10-12 year period. And I think I saw 'em all.

Last edited by psmith2.0 : 2021-02-17 at 17:59.
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