MovieChat Forums > The Penitent Man (2010) Discussion > The only thing that kept me watching ...

The only thing that kept me watching ...

posted 12 years ago by bruce-129
8 replies | jump to latest

Even though Lance was old and bloated and monochromatically grey-white ... he is very good on screen. I don't know how he did it, but everyone else's acting in this movie was pretty horrible, but Lance kept this kind of pathetic movie interesting enough that I watched it to the end. No small feat when you have gone through most of the decent sci-fi movies on NetFlix and are just looking for something to watch.

The plot is predictable, the dialog slow and monotonous. The premise boring if you have ever read any sci-fi time paradox stories going way back. I cannot recommend this movie, but it is at least not a total waste of time like most of NetFlix movies are ... I think the rating was 2/5 or something. There is no special effects, not much of a screenplay, and seemed like fairly little thought that went into the movie.

Better luck next time.

[–] MirrorImagesLTD 12 years ago

3.3 out of 5 and rising. My luck is doing just fine so far. Fingers crossed.

[–] bruce-129 12 years ago

Your luck?

[–] MirrorImagesLTD 12 years ago

You ended your message with better luck next time... Unless that's some sort of signature, I assumed you were referring to the filmmaker having better luck on the next film. The filmmaker is me, and the overall reception has been great. The film was designed to tell instead of
show and is more about the examination and destruction of relationships over time than anything else. I'm fully aware that some people don't like the film. But many people love it. The ones that seem to respond to it are those who've experienced a lot of emotional hardship.

Sorry you didn't like it... Maybe you were referring to your own luck, in which case maybe you'll like my new film "Matt's Chance" a little more.

[–] bruce-129 12 years ago

Oh ... OK ... well, congratulations to anyone for getting any film made. As I said there was something to it that kept me watching. Most of the offbeat films on NetFlix are unwatchable. Lance was a good choice. I did not realize you were the filmmaker. I'm really a tough critic of even the best movie, and I have to say I liked this movie better than "Prometheus" that came out a while ago, so good luck again.

[–] ksperrye 12 years ago

To: "MirrorImagesLTD":

I, for one, just want to thank you for this film & I'm so glad that I found it (thanking my iPad and the need to use Netflix on it for that). I would compare it to "Sound of My Voice", which was truly extraordinary, but left too many 'threads'/unanswered questions (ultimately driving much of the viewership crazy) .... yet with "The Penitent Man", we only have one ambiguous possibility.

Your screenwriting skills (and yes, directing as well) are STELLAR! Anyone who can put pure 1:1 dialogue on film and fill it with tension, pathos, wonder and excitement has a true gift. My only criticism is a personal one: I just loathe the denial of Jesus/Yeshuah. I can pretty much guess what your response/answer would be as to why and how it fit within the film and that it was done to make a point with maximum impact and minimum exposition. I understand Why you did it and I see the plot point it served ... I just personally hate Who you used. Why not deny a False god/pretend deity rather than the real One? But other than differences in our personal systems of belief and faith, I connect with you/your film via a love, a Passion, for science/research/answering the Age Old Questions, as well as through unraveling a good mystery.

Please thank whomever funded your film - it would have been a shame if "The Penitent Man" had never seen the light of day.

Thanks to you as well for using your (very obvious) talents to provide me with well-deserved entertainment while I took a break from my busy life.

(LoL, my own life has been a very full & "interesting" one, to say the least - friends & strangers alike are forever telling me to write a book or put even just a portion of my life story on film. My response has been threefold: One, I have no talent in writing for the silver screen, nor a publishing house; two, that's an horribly self-important undertaking & requires a degree of pomposity that I truly pray I do Not have; and three, it would require an amount of exposition that I cannot imagine would translate to a novel shorter than 'War and Peace', least of all to a 90-minute 'moving picture. However, after being so thoroughly entertained by your film, my opinion is softening. Perhaps YOU are the one to write/direct/produce it?! :-D )

Bottom line, I'm thankful to have the opportunity to thank you directly for "The Penitent Man" - an outstanding film! Oh....I nearly forgot to mention that Lance H. was, as always, true perfection! I wish he would appear in more films - I miss his striking persona/presence and his multi-layered Characters....he can be counted on to deliver and be Unforgettable. Perfect casting (another great job)!

--K

[–] MirrorImagesLTD 12 years ago

Thank you so much for the kind words and for sharing that :). Moments like these remind a filmmaker that he isn't wasting his time. Thank you...

And my investors thank you too ;)

Nick

[–] georgegliddy 11 years ago

well sir or m'am.... well we need spec fx cos how else we 2 watch on such moveis??? cos well that is wut i need.......well after huff huff u know ur mind is free and wants 2 c spec fx!!! so pls remake such movie with spec fx 2 help.......

[–] kastic 11 years ago

I had similar impressions as the OP. Lance Henriksen (as well as Andrew Keegan) gave a solid performance, while the poor acting of Lathrop Walker essentially ruined the potentially substantial interaction between the two. I quickly grew weary of Walker's emotional outbursts during sessions between Dr. Pyatt and Mr. Darnell. While intended to display Dr. Pyatt's underlying stress, I found it to be uncharacteristic of a professional psychiatrist and very distracting as the viewer.

This film possesses similar mechanisms and mood as THE MAN FROM EARTH. While I greatly enjoyed THE MAN FROM EARTH for its thoughtful dialogue, I feel that this is where THE PENITENT MAN falls short. Dr. Pyatt was a "man of science" (the shrine in the beginning was painfully blatant) yet there is only brief, glossed-over scientific thought portrayed in the film. Opportunity for significant discussion was missed and the sessions became tedious as they headed towards the inevitable "twist". The "twist" was portrayed rather early, but I feel the real driving force of the film is the affect of our dissatisfactions on the organic dynamics of our relationships. This is conveyed in mildly entertaining fashion.

There were a few moments of film that bothered me:
-I was irritated near the climax when Dr. Pyatt stood idly in an apartment hallway with his pregnant wife by his side as a gun is waved around in the ensuing assassination attempt by the future version of his best friend.
-I like the novelty of the $100 bill printed in 2065, but this doesn't cohere to a dystopian America caused by time viewing.
-The burning trash cans in the bookend scenes of Mr. Darnell in his time/purgatory were perceived as hokey. Sure, it's a dismal future, but the pyro business is booming!