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Movies Forum Index » Movie Reviews Forum » Review: Redbelt (2008)...
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| Steve Rhodes... |
 Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 12:48 am |
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REDBELT
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2008 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): ***
Okay, so REDBELT is only minor Mamet, but, for loyal devotees of the master,
like me, it is still sublime. Rich in writer and director David Mamet's
signature staccato cadence, the dialog is pure poetry. From GLENGARRY GLEN
ROSS to SPARTAN, Mamet's minimalism provides lots for viewers to think
about.
In REDBELT, Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Mike Terry, a man who lives his life with
a samurai's strong sense of honor. The film is cast mainly with Mamet
regulars plus a bunch of relative unknowns. Everyone delivers superbly
acted, yet carefully and precisely understated performances.
Mike runs a jujitsu training facility, which is a financial failure, but he
is devoted to his pupils. He is currently teaching Officer Joe Ryan (Max
Martini), whose day job is as a cop and who, until recently, worked as a
bouncer at night. In only sketchily outlined back stories, Mike is
ex-military from Desert Storm, and Joe had some work incident go bad on him.
For about the first half of this slightly over an hour-and-a-half movie not
much happens. Although people new to Mamet might wonder what it's about,
fans will know that what Mamet movies are about is the delicious dialog and
the smart repartee.
"A man distracted is a man defeated," Mike lectures Joe, as Joe learns the
art of jujitsu. Mike has many more thoughts of wisdom to share, including:
"There is always an escape." "Don't get tired. Let the other guy get
tired." and "Everything has a force -- embrace or deflect it. Why oppose
it?"
Although they don't come into full force until the story's second half, the
usual collection of Mamet's fixes and con jobs arrive with gusto. Since we
know that they must be coming, everything that happens in the story's setup
is suspect. When we meet Tim Allen, who plays an actor named Chet Frank,
who says he is starring in an Iraqi war movie, our guard is immediately up.
Chet says he needs Mike's help on the movie and offers Mike a co-producer
credit. But what, we asks ourselves, does Chet really want and is he really
who he says he is?
How the cons get resolved isn't important. Like most Mamet movies, the
journey is the reward in REDBELT.
REDBELT runs a fast 1:39. It is rated R for "strong language" and would be
acceptable for teenagers.
The film opens nationwide in the United States on Friday, May 9, 2008. In
the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the AMC theaters, the Century
theaters and the Camera Cinemas.
Web: http://www.InternetReviews.com
Email: Steve.Rhodes at (no spam) InternetReviews.com
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