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Bulworth
I have always been a fan of movie trailers, I heard that
sometimes they can cost more than some movies do. But if you think about it, this is what
makes them the money, so it is money well invested. I have also had a problem with a
trailer that either
1) Shows you the best scenes (the Tipping-Its-Hand principle)
2) Shows you one thing, then delivers another (the Other Hand principle)
When I saw the initial trailer for Warren Beatty's Bulworth, I laughed, a lot actually, and I thought this could be an interesting satirical spoof on politics (and believe me, these days, politics is begging to be spoofed), but I wasn't completely convinced that it would be something I could get into, because I'm not really into politics, and I definitely have never been a Warren Beatty fan (haven't liked him honestly since Heaven Can Wait. So it was with this potential, that I may laugh a bit, enjoy some satire, i.e. Wag The Dog, and just deal with Warren Beatty to get through it all.
What I think now, is that I may have to rethink my second principle, and revise it a bit. This is the first time that a movie trailer mislead me, but I was glad, because I got such a treat and thrill from watching Bulworth. Yes, it has comic moments, some very funny ones, and it has satire, but it is also very emotional, very honest, sometimes brutally so, and very real. It makes political statements (albeit, you have to decipher Beatty's rapping speeches to get them) and it shows why Bulworth switches gears like he does. I'm not going to reveal any of the plot, because you have to watch movies to learn that, and I don’t feel it is fair to spoil anything. But I can say this, Beatty looks like he's having fun, enjoying himself on screen, and yet he's completely convincing, hearing him wrap, seeing him decked out in shades, stocking cap and baggy shorts, is truly a riot, yet also satirical. He points fun at himself, as well as government. The supporting performances are strong for the most part. Oliver Platt as his manic, befuddled, yet opportunistic campaign manager, Don Cheadle as one of the many inner-city denizens that he encounters, and many many others. Halle Berry's role, I feel, is a little understated, and not completely worthy of her talents as she has shown in the past, but she does bring an attitude an energy, that makes the character more believable as the movie goes on. Basically, this movie preaches the truth. It tells us what is wrong in the world today, how we shouldn't be separated, by skin color, or financial status. The government does this, as do movies, songs, and societal pressures in general. This movie makes a smart statement about this issue, and I believe an effective one as well. ($$$ out of $$$$)
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