MovieChat Forums > Lullaby (2008) Discussion > A frustratingly stupid movie

A frustratingly stupid movie

posted 15 years ago by go_metro
7 replies | jump to latest

This movie started off ok but after the first 20 minutes or so it turned pretty silly. Melissa Leo's performance was good but it's completely wasted on an awful script.

An American woman travels to South Africa to rescue her American son from... an American drug kingpin? Huh? Why?? It's a glaring question that never gets answered. Is the economy so bad that we are now outsourcing our drug dealers as well? Wouldn't it have made more sense if they had simply moved the location to an American inner city? Just a thought.

The end scene was the dumbest of all. Why would she pull a gun on T-Boy -- a supposedly ruthless killer -- knowing that she has no bullets in it, if her real intention was not to shoot him, but rather to trick him into snorting fake coke laced with strychnine? Again, it just doesn't make sense. Why not just shoot him and be done with it? And why would a 'street-wise' thug like T-Boy be stupid enough to snort anything given to him by the woman who just promised to kill him two scenes earlier, and, oh yeah, just pulled a gun on him ten seconds ago?

If anyone has a somewhat plausible explanation for any of these questions, please let's hear it.

[–] maxsampsonz 15 years ago

I could not agree more. The last scene in this movie maybe the most ridicules I have witnessed. I was shocked at the stupidity of the way this movie ends. You would think that someone would have spoke up and pointed out how terrible this was before it ever was released.

[–] Redeverlasting 15 years ago

i agree. it didn't make sense and the end scene was a bit over the top hollywoodish dumb. this movie was better than watching nothing online friday night. that is all

[–] groggo 15 years ago

***SPOILERS

This awful ultra-violent movie is full of cliches and plot holes, and tries to outdo itself in seeing how excessively unpleasant and vicious it can be.

Melanie Leo plays an impoverished and desperate waitress in Lynchburg, Tennessee: a nice southern belle I guess, although she frequently forgets herself and slips back to her New York City accent. Leo's son is kidnapped in Johannesburg. For some reason, it takes three months for her to receive a call demanding ransom from a Snidely Whiplash-villain straight out of central casting. Enter an immediate problem. Who kidnaps an impoverished waitress's son for ransom? Don't look for answers in this flick. Anyway, this desperate waitress swipes a few hundred dollars from her husband's (boyfriend's?) wallet (I thought she was desperate for money?), sells her old car, and, zap, she's on an expensive flight to Johannesburg, where she rents a car and a hotel room. How this supposedly destitute woman could do all this on about $2,000 is beyond me.

Why would a woman choose to live and walk around -- ALONE -- in the most notorious and murderous slum in Johannesburg? The silliness keeps piling on; you can't keep track. And the dialogue is wretched as well. Did it actually take three writers to put this screenplay together?

Save your money and your time.

[–] Redeverlasting 15 years ago

oh your description was right on point. the movie was ridiculous all the way through

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] anindigobabe 13 years ago

I really enjoyed this film. Granted, she pulling a gun on him like that was stupid, but killing him that way, maybe to prevent his guys who were outside from coming in.

Anyway, I loved--as always--watching Melissa Leo. I think it was one of her best performances and the cinematography was well done. The actress who played Tina was very good in it as well.

Also, I enjoyed the subtle humor in the script.

Plus, most of these kind of films end where the child is rescued, but not here.

I think you guys are so myopic about the negative that it blinds you to see the positive which outweighs it....Sorry, but I recommend it and give it thumbs up!

[–] kadeskiss 13 years ago

An American woman travels to South Africa to rescue her American son from... an American drug kingpin? Huh? Why?? It's a glaring question that never gets answered. Is the economy so bad that we are now outsourcing our drug dealers as well? Wouldn't it have made more sense if they had simply moved the location to an American inner city? Just a thought

I understand that her son went to south Africa because he had a promising future ( it cost a lot of money to relocate. There is where he fell in love with his girlfriend , who at the time belong to the drug dealer. She became pregnant by Steven, however T-boy believe that the baby is his ,and believe that Steve was trying to take the girl and the baby away. So that part I get. What I didn't like was the fact that T-boy wanted to destroyed them because ,as he put it she/or they were trying to take his kid away. However he didn't care about kid. If he did care, he would not have made the baby's mama work as a hooker.

Luv

Kades