Rating of
3/4
The Case of the Audience With the Missing Memory
Allison - wrote on 08/26/09
I wasn't expecting to see this in the theater, but I'm glad that when another movie was sold out, we got to see this one instead. Basically, the writing was good. But I had heard complaints from people that the dialogue made the scenes over-long. This is true. The scenes should have been cut, but there was nothing wrong with the actual dialogue.
Quentin Tarantino brings back Julie Dreyfus (known to us as Sophie Fatale from Kill Bill, Vol. 1). He also features up-and-coming French star Lea Seydoux (as the Charlotte LaPadite, the youngest of the dairy farmer's daughters), Melanie Laurent, and competent and beautiful but not quite internationally known Diane Kruger (some may argue, but do people drop her name as often as Brigitte Bardot, Marion Cotillard, or even Franka Potente? No, because even though QT has realized she is great, America hasn't quite caught on).
So in fact it's a very great film. Surpasses expectations. And? I am surprised by the people who rate it very high. Audiences tend to do this with newer films. They get caught up in the hype and rate films 9/10 or 10/10 while they are excited and the movie is fresh in their minds. Have they forgotten Pulp Fiction (which was probably better, and more innovative in its structure and is probably untoppable?). Have they forgotten that Frederick Zoller's feats are just a pale imitation of The Bride defeating 88 enemies single-handedly? Well, Inglourious Basterds deserves a lot of praise. However, it is not the greatest movie ever. Will it completely entertain, and nearly give you a heart-attack because of the intense drama? Yes. But will it be listed with Citizen Kane and Casablanca in fifty years to come? No.
