MovieChat Forums > The Secret Agent (1996) Discussion > This Ridiculous Movie

This Ridiculous Movie

posted 16 years ago by Marinas1212
8 replies | jump to latest

Why is no one who has seen even part of this movie stating the obvious? It's dreadful and here is why:

***Spoilers for those who plan to waste an hour and a half of their lives. I admit I finally gave up with about 20 minutes left (I kept hoping it would improve) but there's no way this picture could have redeemed itself...***

One could argue I'm wasting even more time that what I already spent on this movie but I am after all at work, and feel the need to warn others off what really could have been a career-wrecker for the stars involved if anyone had seen it...

No one has any idea who they're supposed to be, who or what they're supposed to care about (with a possible exception of Christian Bale's idiot Stevie, and even he got annoying, believe me), where they're going, where they've been and what the hell it is they're doing through all of it.

Was there a reason the Russian (who was just dreadful as he tried on French and English but never Russian accent) hated Verloc, who's supposedly working for him? Their exchange at the embassy was so ridiculous it started to remind of something from The Assassination Bureau

What exactly is Stevie drawing right before he goes berserk listening to them plot anarchy when they're all amassed in Verloc's parlor? (When mom and sis snatch up his drawing it looks like something from my old spirograph, and they seem very shocked, even frightened by it --aren't they just circles or did I miss something?)

Speaking of the mom, why do her kids have to accompany her to her new place just to turn around in the pouring rain? Didn't it cost to have to schlep them back and forth, and weren't they attempting to economize?

Jim Broadbent is one of my favorite character actors and he, like every other character in this mess appears to be lampooning some other character, having no character left over for themselves. When his boss dresses him down and he arches his brows at him I actually found myself laughing -- AT him!

Oh there's a scene when Robin Williams and Jim Broadbent face off and you can tell Robin Williams' spent a lot of time in San Francisco the way he vamps and then throws himself down the chaise at his feet, batting his lashes up at Inspector Heat like a lunatic - I literally burst out laughing!

And Depardieu's left hanging around doing pretty much nothing with the character they've left him - he's so anxious and ernest that in this role, with these cardboard characters it feels more like a farce.

For the life of me I couldn't even figure out what Verloc was selling in his little store...

Honestly, I really like all of these actors a lot - even Robin Williams as long as he's reined in and given a benzo - but in this mess, the only one I can possibly think of to blame is the director!

I've read a lot but haven't gotten around to this one by Conrad. Is it worth the read? You sure can't tell from this production!

Why wish for the moon when we can have the stars?

[–] maturity 16 years ago

I think this movie's one redeeming quality was Robin Williams' performance and character. He's basically an anarchist who hates everybody. You need to see the ending. You might be able to predict what he does, based on his scene with Jim Broadbent. His character is deliciously insane. Williams does a good job making you see his seething hatred and disgust at everything around him.

"What exactly is Stevie drawing right before he goes berserk listening to them plot anarchy when they're all amassed in Verloc's parlor?"

I don't remember this, maybe he made a drawing of the bomb Verloc was given? I haven't seen the movie in a while and I have no idea, really.

"For the life of me I couldn't even figure out what Verloc was selling in his little store..."

That I can answer. He was selling pornography. Dirty pictures. Pretty tame by today's standards, but pictures of nude women in sexual poses.

[–] deeppockets12 15 years ago

He wasn't just selling pornography, I think he was also printing anarchist leaflets...but in any case he was funded by the Russian embassy as a spy so the store was just a front.

"Who's the only one here who knows illegal ninja moves from the government?"

[–] moviejunkie1 15 years ago

I am in complete agreement with your asseessment.

[–] KimberlyNitro 15 years ago

"What exactly is Stevie drawing right before he goes berserk listening to them plot anarchy when they're all amassed in Verloc's parlor? (When mom and sis snatch up his drawing it looks like something from my old spirograph, and they seem very shocked, even frightened by it --aren't they just circles or did I miss something?)"

They are circles, but they're perfect circles which are almost impossible to draw free-handed. I took this to indicate that Stevie is something of an idiot savant, but his character (like every other character) is so underdeveloped that you don't hear anything else about it, nor do you really care.

[–] megArnold 15 years ago

Why is no one who has seen even part of this movie stating the obvious?

Probably because what you claim is "obvious" is your own private subjective assessment, and you are in the minority. Sounds reasonable, dontcha?

[–] Marinas1212 15 years ago

The minority of what? Expectations of cohesive plot development and some direction from the director?

Isn't that the point of this board, making one's private subjective assessment public?

We can agree we disagree.

Why wish for the moon when we can have the stars?

[–] MisterWhispy 14 years ago

This film is a total and farcical disgrace to Conrad, and it's defenders are in blissful denial. Truly, they are the reason such abominations keep being produced.

[–] Ssertorivs 10 years ago

This film is a total and farcical disgrace to Conrad

The only good thing about this movie was Robin Williams' performance. Even the music, which I really liked in the beginning, started getting on my nerves towards the end in it's endless repetition of the same motif.

90 minutes of nothing.