MovieChat Forums > Silver City (2004) Discussion > One of the Year's Best

One of the Year's Best


This was one of the best films of the year. Hilarious. smart, satrically sad, this is one of Chris Cooper's bes preformances. Def. in my top ten of the year.

*****/*****

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Indeed, though it should get more of a wide release than it already has. Sayles has a great ensemble (Danny Huston wasn't too bad, played the character well, even if actors like Dreyfuss, Roth, Hannah, Kristofferson, Murphy, and especially Cooper outshine him in some scenes),one that he can follow without losing too much ground. Great DP, and an interesting kind of modern political film-noir going for him here. It's not too heavy on satire....I don't even want to write a review of it yet cause there were some things I'd like to know better on a second view (my only criticism, though it isn't a liability to the film, is that the story is convoluted as with most stories in the 40's mystery vein). It may be one of the most under-rated films of the season, but at the least it had me involved with the mix of conventional and unconventional elements

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[deleted]

This was a cool film. I really liked how it showed the dark side of politics and the corruption it brings. What is really cool is that I'm from Denver and this movie was filmed exclusively in Denver and Leadville. It had a lot of familiar sights and landmarks. Pretty cool. I wish they'd film more movies in Denver.
J

"This is the old days, the bad days, the all or nothing days. They're back!"-Marv

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A definite unrecognized gem for me. This is one of the best ensemble casts ever brought together. Chris Cooper should have got an academy award nomination and Daryl Hanna was never better in her small scenes. I give it a 9.

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I agree. And Dreyfuss was detestable doing his best Dick Cheney. I'm from Denver and it was really cool to see all the downtown scenes in the film.
J
The Motorcycle Boy Reigns

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Dreyfuss=Dick Cheney, that is so true, lol

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He's an evil bastard! It's very accurate.
J

The Motorcycle Boy Reigns

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He may look like Dick Cheney, but Dreyfus was based on Karl Rove. Right down to playing dirty to become the head of the young republicans.




"Put the bunny in the box!"

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You should watch Bush's Brain. It's an enlightening documentary about Karl Rove's deceitful ways.
J
"So what's on your mind besides 100 proof women, 90 proof whiskey and 14 karat gold?"

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Ug, it was pointless and totally amaturish. It played like a bad Court TV movie. I can't believe this was a studio production. I just got done watching it and still have NO IDEA why this movie was made, what it was about, etc.

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Too bad you didn't get it back then...do you now?

This movie is not as good as Passion Fish or even Lonestar, but it makes a point about how politics works in this country...and that is what Reinzi and Sayles were looking to bring to us in telling this story. Think of it as a metaphor for what has been and continues to take place in American political life and in our collective reality.

The lead character, Danny, is kind of a loser and that is what makes it so difficult for the viewer to connect with the character; lost job, lost wife, lost girlfriend, another lost job, not to mention lost opportunities along the way. Danny serves a purpose, but what is it? Is he a metophor for the hopelessness that has come to permeate the American experience? This is a tragedy play for sure and fortells the tragedy that is becoming more real for us day by day. The fact that Danny has makes no real lasting impact over what he discovers serves to illustrate what we as individual Americans will face when we attempt real change.

It is not a pointless movie and it certainly is not amatuerish. But, we all have our opinions.

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Is he a metaphor for the hopelessness that has come to permeate the American experience?

Yes, and a metaphor for complacency and greed.

Throughout the investigation he is wrestling with his conscience, torn between wanting to the expose the corruption of the people he works for and wanting to maintain a potentially high-profile career.

At the end, he is given what appears to be lucrative (thick envelope) severance pay, and after once again wrestling with himself - should he take their money and remain silent or expose the corruption - he takes the money and retreats from exposing their corruption.

Greed - taking that money

Complacency - as long as I have money and safety and shelter, let other people fight corruption




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