The Walker (2007)
Country: GB/GER
Technical: DeLuxe/2.35:1 108m
Director: Paul Schrader
Cast: Woody Harrelson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Lauren Bacall, Lily Tomlin, Ned Beatty, Moritz Bleibtreu, Willem Dafoe
Synopsis:
The gay son of a former statesman lives close to the hub of politics, escorting society ladies to social gatherings and playing canasta with them. His role as 'walker', neither 'in' nor 'out' but despised by some, is compromised when he covers for one of the ladies whose lover is murdered. Before long he finds himself being railroaded as suspect number one, with no friends in town save his lawyer and photographer boyfriend.
Review:
Schrader returns to themes that have preoccupied his screenplays for decades, the antihero on the edge of society and looking in with disgust or bemusement. It's well acted but sluggishly paced, cryptically plotted and with dialogue that is hard to decipher at times, what with the Virginia accents and DC jargon rife. The dénouement itself is decidedly lame, with a contrived car accident to despatch the heavy and a limp playout of scenes to wrap things up. Interestingly, the mechanics of how he is paid for his services by these grandes dames of Washington is never looked into.
Country: GB/GER
Technical: DeLuxe/2.35:1 108m
Director: Paul Schrader
Cast: Woody Harrelson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Lauren Bacall, Lily Tomlin, Ned Beatty, Moritz Bleibtreu, Willem Dafoe
Synopsis:
The gay son of a former statesman lives close to the hub of politics, escorting society ladies to social gatherings and playing canasta with them. His role as 'walker', neither 'in' nor 'out' but despised by some, is compromised when he covers for one of the ladies whose lover is murdered. Before long he finds himself being railroaded as suspect number one, with no friends in town save his lawyer and photographer boyfriend.
Review:
Schrader returns to themes that have preoccupied his screenplays for decades, the antihero on the edge of society and looking in with disgust or bemusement. It's well acted but sluggishly paced, cryptically plotted and with dialogue that is hard to decipher at times, what with the Virginia accents and DC jargon rife. The dénouement itself is decidedly lame, with a contrived car accident to despatch the heavy and a limp playout of scenes to wrap things up. Interestingly, the mechanics of how he is paid for his services by these grandes dames of Washington is never looked into.
Country: GB/GER
Technical: DeLuxe/2.35:1 108m
Director: Paul Schrader
Cast: Woody Harrelson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Lauren Bacall, Lily Tomlin, Ned Beatty, Moritz Bleibtreu, Willem Dafoe
Synopsis:
The gay son of a former statesman lives close to the hub of politics, escorting society ladies to social gatherings and playing canasta with them. His role as 'walker', neither 'in' nor 'out' but despised by some, is compromised when he covers for one of the ladies whose lover is murdered. Before long he finds himself being railroaded as suspect number one, with no friends in town save his lawyer and photographer boyfriend.
Review:
Schrader returns to themes that have preoccupied his screenplays for decades, the antihero on the edge of society and looking in with disgust or bemusement. It's well acted but sluggishly paced, cryptically plotted and with dialogue that is hard to decipher at times, what with the Virginia accents and DC jargon rife. The dénouement itself is decidedly lame, with a contrived car accident to despatch the heavy and a limp playout of scenes to wrap things up. Interestingly, the mechanics of how he is paid for his services by these grandes dames of Washington is never looked into.