Simply Perfect

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

The acting in this movie is really good.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Ben Kalmen (Michael Douglas) is divorced from Nancy (Susan Sarandon). He is loved by daughter Susan (Jenna Fischer) despite his womanizing and the mess from his corrupt car dealership empire. He had come close to prison for fraud. He is trying to rehabilitate his reputation and buy a dealership with the help of his connected girlfriend Jordon Karsch (Mary-Louise Parker). He takes her daughter Allyson (Imogen Poots) for a college interview at his alta-mater and ends up sleeping with her. He befriends awkward college student Daniel Cheston (Jesse Eisenberg) and reconnects with Jimmy Merino (Danny DeVito) who owns the family deli.The central performance is great. Ben is not sympathetic but Douglas infuses him with humanity. He's a terribly flawed and damaged character. The drawback is the constant turnover of character which doubles back. It would have been more effective staying with the mentorship with Eisenberg or the perverted relationship with the mother and daughter. Doubling back does feel awkwardly manufactured. There is a possibility that he's going back for Allyson but that's not the case. It's just weird although reconnecting with Daniel does give fruit to a good turn.

The story of this movie is only an excuse to introduce sexual addiction where only one individual have sexuality and women appears to pander its sexual desires as main funny puppets. Bad way to describe persons and respectful between persons. So what is the theme on this movie: there is not. No values, no relationship, no arguments, no dialog, no plot. Story is a way to make porn without make porn. Pathetic individual is only a means to insinuate perversions: less$$$=+sexual women made as bitches. The ability of director is to make this mystification: the no-story is an excuse to make a porn movie. A classic scam movie as only Hollywood can promote perversions in its classic way.

You might get through Life pretty much Unscathed if You Indulge in One of the Seven Deadly Sins (Lust), but Two (Greed), probably Unsurmountable. Such is the Case with Michael Douglas in this Character Study about a Very Successful Businessman in the Winter of Discontent.He is on His way Down and Out, but the Silky Charm is still there and a Complete Embrace of Self Confidence. In the Film, He never "looks" like He is Suffering much. However, His Life is in total Freefall.It is a One-Note Movie but its Resonance is Profound and the Cast of Aging Stars and some Quality Newcomers aid a rather Thin Script and Story. It is a Quality Film, with Professionalism and a certain Wit without Cynicism. It is not Layered and is right there on Screen for the Viewer to take in and it is a Smooth Operation to say the Least.The Movie Glides along its way Effortlessly and is Charm with a bit of Bite. In Fact, it is so good You may want more of it. But that is not to be. Its like the best cut of Steak possible, but only Served in 4 ounce Proportions. The enjoyment of this will depend on the amount of Self-Reflection You engage, and will undoubtedly appeal to an Older Audience and the Movie and its Cautionary Tale will most probably be Overlooked by those who would benefit the Most. Those Folks, especially Men, who are still Young Enough.

In my view this was not ready for a breakdown let alone shoot. The script needed at least six more months of rewrites.Because of this even though the idea is great and the same cast would easily do it much better justice if the screenplay was ready and if the direction allowed them a little bit more freedom.Characters seem to be outlines, barely painted with broad strokes, flat, unfinished. Director did not give the actors freedom they needed to salvage the situation and perhaps they didn't feel like investing themselves deeper into the film, perhaps realizing the screenplay is not ready for the prime time.The story also need3ed further development, because on screen it comes off as flat and doesn't suck you in, characters are shallow and two faced at the very least, their actions are disconnected.What could be a fantastic scene between two of my favorite actors(Douglas and Poots) is very flat, in big part due to writing and direction but actors didn't invest themselves in it either, it's very cut and dry and I don't think the range of both character's actions in other places in the film makes it stick.The ending which could easily be my favorite type of ending failed to realize it's potential as well, this would be due to direction and cinematography, both distant and not really supporting the crucial moment.Biggest problem is the unpolished writing, characters are merely stereotypical outlines, I would like to believe the exact same cast could do a million times better just six months of rewrites later.