Divorcing Jack!
Moderators: thunder, fruitbat, Chari910, Marie, Helen8, Gillian, kjshd05, catloveyes, LadyLucius
Divorcing Jack!
I had really looked forward to watching this movie, but found it way too cartoonishly written and directed to really like. What a waste of JI! Of course he looks great as always, and did a fine job at the cliche villain. Probably since it was sponsored by the N.I.Arts Council, they had to cast Irish people, but just think how much fun it would have been to see JI in the lead! It must have represented something they hadn't thought of in North Ireland before, so I suppose my ignorance as a dumb U.S.er is to blame for my opinion. Blame the audience, not the artist!
- Hilary the Touched
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I had kind of the same response, MG.
I enjoyed it the first time I watched it, but find it pales with each subsequent viewing. I made the mistake of seeing it after I'd read the book (I found it at my local thrift store!), which I found a much more coherent work, more nuanced and genuinely funnier.
Onscreen, we lost the protagonist's inner monologue and commentary on the absurdity of the general situation, and it was also written at a time when things were looking pretty bleak in Northern Ireland--by the time the movie came out, the IRA was behaving much more reasonably (and "flares" had come back in style!!!).
My biggest gripe was with the casting (though I suppose that also means the directing. The screenplay was written by the novelist, but I felt he did a pretty poor job.)
In a word, I thought Thewlis was *awful*. I'm aware that there are people out there who find him irresistible, but I find him, I'm sorry, physically repugnant. If you ask me, he looks like the love child of Sister Wendy and James Wood. When the scene where he and Margaret are entangled on the sofa first commenced and the camera goes panning up their entwined legs, I couldn't tell whose were whose.
*ick*
I had a very strong image of the hero from the book, and Thewlis disappointed me very much. I had no sense of haplessness from him--the hero in the book finds himself in situations very much despite himself. I also absolutely could not believe Margaret throwing herself at him--she is so attractive, and he is
not.
Especially after puking in the bathroom, and not so much as rinsing out his mouth.
According to IMDb, Thewlis is from Blackpool, in Lancashire. I thought his Irish accent was fine, but I also thought he was focusing so much on maintaining it at the expense of the sense of his dialogue that many of his lines just sounded like nonsense.
Geez, have I trashed David Thewlis enough??
The book was apparently very popular in NI; it captured, I think, a sense of the absurd that they really responded to. I didn't feel it worked nearly as well onscreen...partly because of the direction: the pacing was just off.
The movie needs a couple of viewings to keep up with all the plot convolutions, but it doesn't really hold up well.
But JI is adorable!!!
I enjoyed it the first time I watched it, but find it pales with each subsequent viewing. I made the mistake of seeing it after I'd read the book (I found it at my local thrift store!), which I found a much more coherent work, more nuanced and genuinely funnier.
Onscreen, we lost the protagonist's inner monologue and commentary on the absurdity of the general situation, and it was also written at a time when things were looking pretty bleak in Northern Ireland--by the time the movie came out, the IRA was behaving much more reasonably (and "flares" had come back in style!!!).
My biggest gripe was with the casting (though I suppose that also means the directing. The screenplay was written by the novelist, but I felt he did a pretty poor job.)
In a word, I thought Thewlis was *awful*. I'm aware that there are people out there who find him irresistible, but I find him, I'm sorry, physically repugnant. If you ask me, he looks like the love child of Sister Wendy and James Wood. When the scene where he and Margaret are entangled on the sofa first commenced and the camera goes panning up their entwined legs, I couldn't tell whose were whose.
*ick*
I had a very strong image of the hero from the book, and Thewlis disappointed me very much. I had no sense of haplessness from him--the hero in the book finds himself in situations very much despite himself. I also absolutely could not believe Margaret throwing herself at him--she is so attractive, and he is
not.
Especially after puking in the bathroom, and not so much as rinsing out his mouth.
According to IMDb, Thewlis is from Blackpool, in Lancashire. I thought his Irish accent was fine, but I also thought he was focusing so much on maintaining it at the expense of the sense of his dialogue that many of his lines just sounded like nonsense.
Geez, have I trashed David Thewlis enough??
The book was apparently very popular in NI; it captured, I think, a sense of the absurd that they really responded to. I didn't feel it worked nearly as well onscreen...partly because of the direction: the pacing was just off.
The movie needs a couple of viewings to keep up with all the plot convolutions, but it doesn't really hold up well.
But JI is adorable!!!
I rather enjoyed the film and must say that additional viewings have not dulled it in any way. Hil's right though, the content's pretty much directed to a people of a particular time and environment, and although I myself noticed the things other people have commented on, felt it was more like a parallel commentary on the surrealness of the whole Northern Irish conflict.
Still, I'm particularly fond of anything off-beat so that kind of thing always resonates well with me.
Still, I'm particularly fond of anything off-beat so that kind of thing always resonates well with me.
DIVORCING STUFF
THANKS EVERYONE! I enjoyed everyone's opinions, and am glad I commented. The bit about the script being written by the novelist is very good.....I have tried that stunt, and it is a big pain in you-know-where because going from a novel to a film is just so different, it is like doing a sketch for a painting, in pencil or charcoal, and it turns out so great, you just get all excited and can't wait to paint it, and the painting is a total flop!
And I totally agree with everyone about Thewlis...a totally ugly dork, with very little variety in facial controls, and a thousand other comments. And the idea of not rinsing mouth after sicky business is so female! One almost believes that a bunch of naughty little 12 year old boys were in charge!
And I totally agree with everyone about Thewlis...a totally ugly dork, with very little variety in facial controls, and a thousand other comments. And the idea of not rinsing mouth after sicky business is so female! One almost believes that a bunch of naughty little 12 year old boys were in charge!
Re: Divorcing Jack!
I got to catch about 20 mins. of this on ENC. I wanna see the entire film, so my eyes are checking my TV guide...constantly. Jason's accent is incredibly good. :-)''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
~ML
~ML
Re: Divorcing Jack!
Marilaine, it's on again 15, 18, and 19 Aug., on Encore Suspense/Mystery several times during each of the days. Check your listings for exact times. Mine only shows Pacific times.
Re: Divorcing Jack!
Thanks, Helen. I will have to make a note of it. The more Cow-Pat, the better.
~ML
~ML
Re: Divorcing Jack!
The more Cow-Pat, the better.
Taken out of context . . . ewwwwwwww!!!
Taken out of context . . . ewwwwwwww!!!
Re: Divorcing Jack!
I got to see it. HIL-AR-I-OUS!
Loved the open blue shirt. *droolingstill*
~ML *gottaaddthistomymoviecollection*
Loved the open blue shirt. *droolingstill*
~ML *gottaaddthistomymoviecollection*
- Anniemouse
- Posts: 1371
- Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2020 10:23 am
Re: Divorcing Jack!
Just watched this today and although I enjoyed it I felt that it is not one for repeated viewing. I think that the comedy was not dark enough or the thrills thrilling enough untill the last third.
Jason was as usual brilliant as the wonderfully named Cow Pat I was genuinely scared of his character and wondered how uncomfortble he (Jason) was left dangling out the window.
The female taxi driver was very funny.
A couple of spoilers;
Dan was surely guilty of manslaughter. Surprised that is forgotton about completely by the end.
Why didn't Cow Pat chuck the briefcase/bomb out of the car door, surely he has plenty of time to do so as the bomb still had 8 seconds on the clock. He and the others all just sat there.
I did enjoy it though.
Jason was as usual brilliant as the wonderfully named Cow Pat I was genuinely scared of his character and wondered how uncomfortble he (Jason) was left dangling out the window.
The female taxi driver was very funny.
A couple of spoilers;
Dan was surely guilty of manslaughter. Surprised that is forgotton about completely by the end.
Why didn't Cow Pat chuck the briefcase/bomb out of the car door, surely he has plenty of time to do so as the bomb still had 8 seconds on the clock. He and the others all just sat there.
I did enjoy it though.
Last edited by Anniemouse on Mon Oct 12, 2020 5:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
- Marie
- I dig animals--sometimes hundreds of feet down
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Re: Divorcing Jack!
It was not supposed to be quite so comedic. But script changes and such - that is where it ended up. But I agree - make it funnier or more dramatic action. But at times it felt like it wasn’t sure which way to go. But I adored the cast and it was my first film where I really noticed Jason.
- Anniemouse
- Posts: 1371
- Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2020 10:23 am
Re: Divorcing Jack!
I did think his medallion man moment with the open shirt was memorable.
Marie; I do agree that the cast (and Jason) were amazing.
Marie; I do agree that the cast (and Jason) were amazing.