middle cyclones and other references

Procrastination Theatre: January 21, 2012

Let me just preface this by saying this was a perfectly good and serviceable and talented and interesting movie. But I just wasn’t captured by it, and it won’t be one that I remember for a long time, despite having my joy, my curse, my love, Ryan Gosling, and various other talented actors (like Philip Seymour Why-So-Awesome - copyright Sarah). Here’s why (and this will contain spoilers, but not until point #2. So you’ve been warned and shit):

1. I don’t get American political thrillers. Basically, I spent the entire movie saying: “But he just met with Paul Giamatti! He didn’t do anything! I don’t understand! WHAT IF THEY WERE FRIENDS FROM BEFORE?” It just seems so silly to me, so McCarthy-esque. Like, you talked to someone who was a member of the Communist party, you’re a pinko now! So basically that entire premise I just never bought. 

2. I also just didn’t get Evan Rachel Wood’s character. Like, okay. I just don’t understand why a scared 20-year old, who just got pregnant from an affair with a political candidate and who now has to hope he’ll acknowledge the affair enough to help her get an abortion….would then try so hard to seduce another member of the campaign party. It just seems like, wouldn’t she be sort of super upset with the pregnancy stuff and everything that led to it? How can you feel sexy when you’re worried about something that big? Also, you’re going to have to give me a better “explanation” of how the super-bad-secret affair happened. Because “we were talking and then he closed the door” does not fly for me. You can open a door once it’s been closed! You can just make out! You can open a door to get a condom even if it’s been closed! A closed door should not confuse you enough to decide to have unprotected sex with a married political candidate! So basically, I didn’t buy any of Evan Rachel Wood’s character or decisions, which was the impetus for the plot of the whole movie, which basically made it hard to care about the movie. I mean, is it so bad of me to ask for a female character who makes believable choices? I don’t mean that women can’t screw up, but don’t make a character 100% sex bunny and then, a couple scenes later, 100% damsel in distress. Show some continuity between the two!