08.30.08
Venice ‘08: “The Burning Plain”
The first of eleven films in competition, Guillermo Arriaga’s “The Burning Plain” has some calling it the one to beat for the Golden Lion, which is not hard seeing as it is the only in competition film shown so far. It is, nonetheless, worth looking out for. If nothing else, it will be interesting to see how Arriaga handles his directorial debut without the help of with Alejandro González Iñárritu, as the two fought it out publicly over who should be credited for the ingenuity of “Amores Perros,” “28 Grams” and “Babel” which Arriaga wrote. I am a sucker for those magically interweaving story lines that join to form a multi-character exanimation, and for what it is worth, it seems as though this one is not nearly as bleak as “21 Grams” or even “Babel,” both of which I loved. And apparently my home-girl Charlize Theron is representing, as always, some are saying her and Basinger could both make trips to the podium this year. Now wouldn’t that be something.
In Competition
“The Burning Plain” by Guillermo Arriaga
Andrew Pulver, “It was absorbing in a soap-ish sort of way, but pretty much devoid of the high-powered visuals Arriaga’s one-time collaborator, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, brought to the party.” In his headline, he calls it “a damp squib next to Burn After Reading” – I call him a fool for comparing the two in a single sentence.
Derek Elley is not that taken with it, “Many of the weaknesses and few of the strengths of Guillermo Arriaga as a scripter are evident in his directing debut, “The Burning Plain.” Multicharacter head-scratcher, yo-yoing between New Mexico and Oregon, and back and forth in time, doesn’t finally reveal much beneath the emperor’s clothes to repay viewers’ concentration during the first half. Despite an OK-to-good cast led by Charlize Theron and Kim Basinger, plus a handsome tech package, this remains an elaborate writing exercise with few emotional hooks.”
David Gritten thinks highly of it indeed, humorously calling it the one to beat so far in the race for the Golden Lion, “Only three days in to the Venice Film Festival, a front-runner for the Golden Lion best film award has emerged. The Burning Plain, written and directed by the Mexican film-maker Guillermo Arriaga and starring Charlize Theron and Kim Basinger, has all the right credentials: it is serious-minded and dramatic, with universal themes and a clutch of fine acting performances…It isn’t too early to suggest this film’s the one to beat. The story is complex, and reveals itself gradually. It moves back and forth in time and takes place in two main locations; rainy Portland, Oregon, and a dusty, down-at-heel American border town. Events that occur in one place have consequences elsewhere, sometimes years later.”
Lee Marshall, “His much-publicised falling out with director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu seems to have done Guillermo Arriaga the world of good. The Burning Plain, which the Mexican writer directed from his own script, is a powerful contemporary melodrama, more restrained but also much cleaner, in dramatic focus and emotional thrust, than the three films Arriaga penned for Inarritu (Amores Perros, 21 Grams, Babel). Sure, his creative tics are still much in evidence: a tragic view of life that sometimes feels wantonly bleak, and an interest in tricksy non-linear plot structure. But a sombre story about an unforgivable act and its cross-generational fallout is here leavened by a greater dose of hope and redemption than Arriaga has yet allowed himself, and the games The Burning Plain plays with its audience are amply justified by the emotional punch of the film’s denouement.” On Theron’s performance, because part of the reason as to why I want to see the film is her, “a full-on, Oscar-booking keystone performance.”
Wendy Ide gives it three stars out of five, “The problem is that Arriaga’s way of telling stories has become familiar through his collaborations with Alejandro González Iñárritu, his fellow Mexican. Arriaga’s distinctive style has always involved nonlinear narrative and temporal jumps and seemingly disparate parallel story lines which are miraculously threaded together through a chance event, usually an accident of some kind. It’s a technique to which he returns for The Burning Plain, his directorial debut, an elegantly structured tale of lives laced together with tragedy and guilt. But for the rush of recognition that greets the story structure, it’s actually rather good. It lacks the relentless bleakness that leached the life out of 21 Grams and the portentousness that irritated many critics in Babel.” On Theron, “the force of her self-loathing hits the audience like a blow.”
Kerry said,
August 30, 2008 at 12:23 pm
I am so excited for this, I am also a fan of Arriaga. That feud was just silly, and I hope that it does’t hinder the quality of their future work.
Salmaya said,
August 30, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Babel was amazing, so I am def. interested.
Dave said,
August 30, 2008 at 12:38 pm
I am not a fan of Babel, 21 Grams and the rest of them. Life is depressing, I know that. I don’t need to be reminded. I do love Charlize though.
Nick Plowman said,
August 30, 2008 at 12:52 pm
When depressing is done in such an artistic, experimental manner, I am sold. Babel, I think, was my favourite film of 2006. So. And then you add an aparently Oscar-deserving performance from Ms. Theron with the talent of Mr. Arriaga, you can see where I am going with this one.
Salmaya said,
August 30, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Charlize is in the Academy’s good books, so she could pull off her 3rd nom if she is as good as they say. I bet she is, and that I gotta see.
Dave said,
August 30, 2008 at 1:25 pm
I am sure she is great, but I am over movies that make me want to slit my wrists.
Nick Plowman said,
August 30, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Fair enough, and for what it is worth, I too find their films depressing – I could not go to school the next day after seeing “Babel,” but I think to label them as simply “depressing” is unfair, they are so much more than that. I find them rather life affirming.
Dave said,
August 30, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Each to his own I guess.
Jeff said,
August 30, 2008 at 3:45 pm
I too look forward to this and I am kinda thrilled that it has been getting solid reviews.
Justin said,
August 30, 2008 at 7:57 pm
My homegirl to, but you’ve met her, so…let’s just hope she does us proud (when does she not?)
Kerry said,
August 30, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Nick, you’ve met Charlize Theron?! That is incredible. Lucky!
Nick Plowman said,
August 30, 2008 at 10:13 pm
Yeah, I have met her, it was brief but she is great. I am a HUGE fan.
Miranda Wilding said,
August 31, 2008 at 5:07 am
I suppose I’m swimming against the tide in this particular thread.
I mean no disrespect to anyone. PARTICULARLY OUR BELOVED HOST, who is a very good friend of mine.
But I ABSOLUTELY LOATHED BABEL and 21 GRAMS outright.
I thought RINKO KIKUCHI’S performance in the former was good. Though certainly not award worthy to my mind.
I also feel strongly that NAOMI WATTS and SEAN PENN were fantastic in the latter. The ridiculous editing (I don’t mind stories that are out of sync – they can be BRILLIANT – but you have to know what the hell you’re doing – OUT OF SIGHT and PULP FICTION are examples of that kind of screenwriting fulfilling its promise) likely cost Ms. Watts the Oscar. MELISSA LEO was great too.
Other than that, like nails on a blackboard. ENDLESSLY. For both of them.
I’m no fan of Ms. Theron either. AT ALL.
But I am exceptionally curious about this film for the simple reason that KIM BASINGER is in it. Seems particularly sad and disgusting that she’s been reduced to playing Charlize’s MOTHER.
But whatev….
I just want her to get another Oscar nomination so that people won’t EVER be able to say that her exemplary work in LA CONFIDENTIAL was a fluke. She was also excellent in THE DOOR IN THE FLOOR. But does anyone even remember that film? I mean, aside from me?
She and JEFF BRIDGES were ROBBED.
Well, I’d love to see some awards attention for my girl Kim. So I will likely see this no matter what.
Fingers crossed………
Matthew Lucas said,
August 31, 2008 at 6:27 am
Miranda, THE DOOR IN THE FLOOR was in my top 5 for the year. Jeff Bridges should have indeed been nominated.
Then again…I was pulling for BABEL to win Best Pic in 2006.
Nick Plowman said,
August 31, 2008 at 7:31 am
I liked “The Door in the Floor” too, not that much, but enough to have seen it twice.
I liked 21 Grams, but it was really hard to watch. Babel, however, hit me like a ton of breaks and I loved it. But we all react differently to different films, I guess that’s what I love about film anyway.
Having said that, I would like to see Kim get some award love too, she’s been overlooked too many times in the past.
Matthew Lucas said,
August 31, 2008 at 7:49 am
Kim Basinger has he Oscar, that’s enough. She’s an okay actress, but she’s never blown me out of the water, and is often a rather dull screen presence. But that’s just me.
Nick Plowman said,
August 31, 2008 at 9:03 am
I think she’s ugly, but that’s just me ;)
Justin said,
August 31, 2008 at 9:14 am
She is rather odd looking, I’m with Matt – totally dull screen presence.