MovieChat Forums > Adoration (2009) Discussion > Just plain afwul...

Just plain afwul...

posted 14 years ago by yan-trussart
10 replies | jump to latest

Without being the number one fan of Mr Egoyan, who I sometimes find a bit cerebral and heavy handed, I always fairly enjoyed his offerings, particularly some of his nineties stuff (the Adjuster, Calendar, Exotica, the Sweet hereafter).
Having read mostly negative reviews, I didn't have high hopes regarding this one, but I must say I was shocked at how bad it was.
The script is so clunky, circonvoluted and frankly ridiculous, that the actors seem confused as where they stand exactly and how they should deliver their lines.
Throughout this mess of a storyline, Egoyan presents us with a reflection on cultural relativism and personal beliefs that is so didactic and half baked, it felt like the essay of an highschool student (and not that good at that!)
I'm a bit surprised to see that no one seems to share my feelings regarding what is in my opinion the worst Egoyan ever and by far (Yes, I've seen pretty much all of them).
Thoughts anyone?

[–] phelpsg1 14 years ago

I have to agree with you. This wasn't a very enjoyable movie. The problem seemed to be that people didn't behave in ways that really made sense from their characters' standpoint -- they were just stick figures to illustrate the cultural-relativism "moral" of the movie. The teacher's stalking of the uncle (by turning up in a weird mask making anti-Semitic statements, and later deliberately getting her car towed) was a pretty crazy way of making contact with him. Whatever happened to parent-teacher conferences? And when the masked lady turns up a few days later asking to come in for a chat... and the uncle invites her in! What was he thinking?

[–] cvcv1 14 years ago

Completely agree. Most people want a film to have some entertainment value. This film had a contrived plot that was intentionally opaque to try to hook the viewer's interest, but ultimately was very boring. So with nothing in terms of actual story, the film basically was a mouthpiece for the writer's philosophical meanderings. I don't mind if a film has a "message" or "theme" while entertaining, but in this case the "message" was forced on us INSTEAD OF entertaining us.

[–] Xcalat3 13 years ago

The problem seemed to be that people didn't behave in ways that really made sense from their characters' standpoint -- they were just stick figures to illustrate the cultural-relativism "moral" of the movie.

this is what I really didn't like about this movie

When there's no more room in hell, The dead will walk the earth...

[–] kickyour 14 years ago

it is just plain awful!

[–] HeatSurge 14 years ago

This is the first movie that I've seen by this director.

I thought the first hour (or even more) were a bit of a convoluted mess. However, the last 15 minutes were very emotional and tied everything together well.

If his other movies are that much better, I can't wait to see them, which I will in the near future.

Perhaps I could relate to this movie somewhat from my personal life, and that's what made it so special when everything was revealed. I didn't "like" it... there's nothing to be liked about it really, actually it made me a bit depressed - but it did touch me in the end.

The first hour could've been a bit more moving and better made, but overall I felt it was a worthwhile watch.

[–] TheBeardedWonder 14 years ago

I'm the opposite. I thought the first hour created somewhat of an interesting mystery, only to have it sputter out in the end. Nobody learns anything, they're all where they started.

The story is fake, why would the teacher be fired for doing a dramatic play of something fictional? Why did the couple leave the Dad's without their kid? Cutting off the scroll doesn't effect resale value, what? Since when does appearance not come into play on musical instruments?

Agree with the topic title entirely...

No fear. No distractions. The ability to let that which does not matter truly slide.-Tyler Durden

[–] AlexMorgan13 14 years ago

it was weird, but i wouldn't say it was awful...

[–] Sorcerer-NL 14 years ago

I entirely agree with your post. The first hour was messier... time jumping back and forth... The movie kinda transformed after the first half, becoming something completely different. There were no plotholes and I had no trouble following the story at all.

This movie is one of the best I saw this year (I only finished watching it 15 minutes ago and I am serious)... Some characters might seem "unrealistic" to some people, but in fact I had a teacher who wasn't that much weirder than the "French/drama" teacher in this movie. Also the story is plausible. The acting fits the story perfectly.

The reason it only gets a 6.3 rating has probably got something to do with the philosophic nature of the movie, and the way it deals with religion and terrorism, I expect.

[–] roland_deschain1983 13 years ago

I have to agree with the general consensus that this is not AE's best work.

Has anyone seen Ararat. That was powerful.

[–] shayneferry 11 years ago

This was friggen terrible. I like Sweet Hereafter, Exotica and Where The Truth Lies, so I thought this would be good, the plot sounded interesting. But it was absolute crap!

The kid was an unlikeable turd, he wants the truth about his family but he didn't give a crap about playing with people's emotions in his little 'drama' play.

The grandfather was a prick and the teacher was psycho (has all her old wedding photos up, refers to her ex-husbands child with another woman as all she has left, stalks said child's uncle). The only remotely likeable character was Scott Speedman's Tom, but even he was pretty bland.

Also the whole thing was boring, the terrorist storyline really served no purpose at all! What a waste of time, avoid at all costs people!