| Quills |
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| 1/2 |
| Rating: Mixed Distributor: Fox Searchlight Pictures MPAA Rating: R Running Length: 2 hours, 3 minutes Release Date: December 8th, 2000 (limited), December 15th, 2000 (wider). Genre: Drama, Historical, Dark Comedy Director: Philip Kaufman Cast: Geoffrey Rush, Kate Winslet, Joaquin Pheonix, Michael Caine, Amelia Warner, Billie Whitelaw, Patrick Malahide, and Stephen Moyer. |
| Plot: The Marquis de Sade (Geoffrey Rush) was a writer of near pornography in the 18th century, and the beginning of the 19th century. The term sadism is named after him. This film explores his last days in a mental institution. He has been smuggling his books out of the institution to be published through a beautiful worker of the hospital (Kate Winslet). A young, idealistic priest (Joaquin Pheonix) is kind to his patients, and makes no exception in his patience with de Sade. However, once it becomes known that these books are all over France, people in power decide to said an unorthodox, and cruel doctor (Michael Caine) to cure de Sade of his sick mind. However, he might be too late to reverse the impact de Sade has made. |
| Critique: Quills is a choppy, jarring, weird, and rarely engaging film. Although accomplished in its physical artistry, including a versatile score, creative cinematography, and well realized costumes the film does not have much underneath. The cinematographer Rogier Stoffers, uses an interesting method in his pallet that mainly consists of pinks, oranges, ivory whites, and soft browns. It must be his and Kaufman's tool for trying to visualize the early 19th century, however I'm not sure if these colors are merely creative, or also getting at some era related point. In terms of story telling, the film is awkward and coppy. It quickly jumps from topic to topic, and scene to scene with random abandon. Whenever you think there might be a thoughtful, intimate moment, the film zooms to its next destination without waiting for resolve. It tries to be stimulating with social themes, as well as freedom of speech nods. These themes are never effectively explored for two reasons. One, they are too obvious, heavy handed, and are repeated again and again. Second, the jarring tempo of the film allows for little thinking time. The jumpy tempo can be attributed to excess use of cross cutting, as well as zoom outs and zoom ins back and forth too quickly. Kaufman could take a lesson from Edward Yang. Although I have my arguments with Yang's gloomy direction he has an impressive abilitiy to be restrained. He lets the camera stop and observe the actors without intervening unneccesarily. (For more on Yang, I tend to be more complimentary with his terrific writing, see my review of Yi Yi.) Getting back to Quills' strengths, the acting is usually very solid. Geoffrey Rush does a passionate job with de Sade, and Winslet is superb in conveying her intelligent character. Micheal Caine, is as usual, wonderful in his emotionally controlled performance. He can be wild at one moment, subtle in others, as he delivers a great villian. Joaquin Pheonix does his job as the frustrated, very young priest. I can't say Pheonix is excellent, but he certainly has some well expressed moments. His performance in Gladiator was probably stronger. At first Quills is successful in being funny, and moderately intriguing. But the screenplay delves more and more into weird, insipid scenes. They make the story uglier and uglier. However, it becomes confusing when for the most part the film has a tone of dark, subtle, comedy. Quills can be successful when it isn't trying to be excessively turgid. It hits a few key notes. However, it loses a lot of steam. It loses steam due to some jarring cross cutting it never allows the audience to be emotionally involved. I don't recommend this movie, even with its strengths, because it has an enormous ammount flaws. review by supernothingman |