MovieChat Forums > True Crime (1999) Discussion > THIS FILM IS GROSS

THIS FILM IS GROSS

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

OK, I'm about 30 years too old to be using a word like "gross," but I have to say that I did feel queasy throughout much of this film.

The theme (execution of an innocent man) is stressful to start, which I can handle, but then add in mostly unpleasant people saying/doing nasty things and, well ... gag me with a spoon.

Let me start with the venerable-yet-ancient Eastwood, as director, casting himself as the lead, who is apparently a real ladies man. Yeah, a married, 69-year-old (his age when the film came out), alcoholic reporter for the "Oakland Tribune," driving a beater, reeking of cigarettes, and wearing pants about six inches too long is gonna be a real babe magnet. He's 44 years older than the reporter he's hitting on in the bar, 29 years older than Bob's wife, and 38 years older than Lucy Liu.

Look, I don't begrudge an old dude chasing young tail (been there), but what kind of fairyland have we entered when we have to watch Bob's still-hot wife staring lovingly at Clint's half-naked, wrinkly body and caressing his saggy old pecs.

This is such an ego trip for Eastwood. He did the same damn thing in Bridges of Madison County with Streep, who is 19 years younger.

Hardly any character (other than the condemned and his family) acts in a civilized way: cavalier discussions between Clint and his bosses about him banging their wives (funny in their frankness, but just so crude and ugly) ... Clint's wife insisting that he take off from work (and an important assignment) to bring his daughter to the zoo (WTF! He has to WORK, lady, so you can play with the kid all day.) ... the manipulative, repulsive reverend ... the slimy male witness who, yeah, did lie about seeing a gun in Beechum's hand so he could be a big shot ... the nasty female prosecutor who just doesn't give a beep that there's possible evidence to free a condemned man (sadly, probably all too often true in the real world) ... the street dude harassing passersby ... the warden and his staff with their black humor (although I did think the warden was painted somewhat sympathetically).

All in all, not a bad film, competently acted. It held my attention to the end (keeping me up to 4:30 a.m.). And I appreciate the idea of a protagonist who can be such a f-up, but still do the right thing. I just felt I needed a shower after wading (virtually) through two hours of such unpleasantness.

"Funny like a clown? I amuse you, I make you laugh? I'm here to f--kin' amuse you?"

[–] Zando777 15 years ago

I agree that Clint shouldn't have been taking off his shirt at 69, and he isn't that credible with women that much younger. That said, he looked okay with his clothes on.

Lots of unappealing characters, but that's true in real life too. And there were some likable ones. Clint, in his own way, the bosses wife, in her own way, the Warden, the defendant & wife & daughter, etc.

[–] Ironman54 15 years ago

I just watched the 1st such scene and figured when he finally put his clothes back on that just maybe we'd see that he was still an otherwise attractive man.
Not !! The 'turkey skin' under the chin was just as pronounced and painfully obvious as when he was rolling around in bed. However, this has me thinking...
I'm still quite a bit younger than he was in this film. I've lived a monks life since I was 46 years old - figuring 'it' was pretty much 'over'. When I was younger, people used to comment that I resembled either Eastwood or the Kung Fu dude (who just died and I can't remember his name for the life of me and no I'm not going outside of this page to'Google it' - hoping it will come to me as I type this and no, it hasn't) and maybe I may still be able to pull it off (so to speak). Anyhow,what I feel is REALLY ODD is that he did this scene in a bright sun lit bedroom ! It MUST be sheer ego. Has to be. Why not a dimly lit bedroom scene ? Its done all the time and not necessarily with older actors - it wouldn't have been novel, strange, or obvious enough to warrant comment.
So why ?? People with big egos don't notice their own faults or think they're incapable of having 'faults' ?? Conjures up thoughts of the old 'casting couch'.
'You want to be in this movie you're going to....', although I think Eastwood is a decent enough man not to actually pull this stuff 'off screen' and of course, nothing really happened in the bedroom scenes (between the 2).

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] ltsNotRight 14 years ago

Not women that are as young as Mary McCormack and Lucy Liu. They tried to make it seem like he's some sort of hot shot with women young enough to be making out with Zac Efron. It was completely unrealistic, and would've made more sense with an actor who wasn't an AARP member.

[–] LocoHero 12 years ago

In the first scene at the bar I kept waiting for the punchline to explain why a crinkly old grandad was in a bar with a girl a third of his age.

[–] Doc110894 9 years ago

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[–] king_cooler 9 years ago

Eastwood's ego knows no bounds.

He should keep those saggy tits tucked away.

[–] Sidewindr 8 years ago

Not all women are that superficial, let me assure you.. your comments are somewhat misogynistic as well as showing hints of jealousy.