Thanks for the memories!

Awesome Movie

As Good As It Gets

Admirable film.

Philip Seymour Hoffman WARNING: I realize that I clearly I have a thing for Mr. Hoffman, but my fan-girl gushing about this movie will not stand without firm fact to support it. In this review, I will center on him and branch out.Oddly enough, I became a Philip Seymour Hoffman fan just one season before he passed away. Not that anyone really cares.. The people in my life are not into movies or actors or TV as much as I am and would likely not be able to remember his face or his name unless he was way more attractive or black or maybe a singer instead of an actor? As much as I wish I had someone who could enjoy his work with me, I true enjoy admiring his talent on my lonesome.Though I am a fan, I haven't seen half of his movies. (But I can count them on 2 hands?) I just really like the ones I have seen. Jack Goes Boating is my favorite one so far. I rented it once, and then later down the line I tried to find it online. I gave up on that and brought a copy on amazon instead. And It was cheap… like $1.50 and soooo worth it for a movie that I just love. Now, I've seen it three times. For me, it was a feel good film for the socially awkward who want hope and perspective of where they can be, the emotionally unstable, abused, thoughtful, passionate, kindhearted and many other varieties of people.The movie was released in 2010, but before that, the stage version of Jack Goes Boating was originally produced by LAByrinth Theater Company in New York City. Hoffman and co-star John Ortiz were co-artistic directors for over ten years. A brief synopsis from IMDb.com: A limo driver's blind date sparks a tale of love, betrayal, friendship, and grace centered around two working-class New York City couples.What I love about this movie is the fact that it sheds light on a great guy who just happens to have a confidence issue. It's a romantic comedy/ drama, and I melt for romance. But its essentially an underdog story. Almost a Wizard of Oz kind-of story. Jack, played by Hoffman, is a very unique man living an average life but lacks a few keys to happiness. The viewers will soon realize that he's the man.There was no acting that stuck out to me as being bad. I suppose that working for so long on the stage really refined them. On the other end of the spectrum, I think Jack's character took a lot of work because its so unusual so I appreciate the out-come. As Jack and Connie (picture above) begin a new relationship, Lucy and Clyde are more like enduring an old one. Daphne Rubin-Vega (who played Mimi in Rent) is Lucy and John Ortiz is Clyde. Vega and Ortiz take your emotions and twist them up, and throw them back at you. Their relationship is relatable for many, and their acting feels seamless. Amy Ryan is Connie. Connie has a pure spirit with speckles of strength and irresistible quirk. Ryan does a good job of portraying Connie as being beautifully delicate. All of the characters are very authentic. Ortiz and Vega were both nominated for "best supporting" awards but unfortunately lost to others in their category. The film it self and the screenplay writer were also nominated for awards the year it was released, but lost.Jack Goes Boating is a slow paced film with dry humor. I realize for a lot of people, this is deal breaker. I didn't even notice until I the second time I watched it. There is a good deal of "open space" matched with explosions of action that both really draw you into the story and create such drama. No matter what, there are big laughs there, but it takes a sharp minded person to pick up on it. It was a joy noticing humor and foreshadowing and style as the movie progressed because it was a challenge to grasp at times. In the end, I just truly appreciated all of it. Also, the music was great. Its always nice to hear good songs that aren't force fed to you on the radio, and the selections had as much soul, captivity, and thought-provoking potential as the characters. There was even a few nice indie songs that I added to my own music play lists after the very first time I saw the film. Lastly, I give props to the production crew for showing parts of NY that are infamous.The play got good reviews in a new York Times article The Zen Art of Life Maintenance (Pass the Bong, Please) in 2007: "This gentle portrait of pothead losers in love is a reminder of how engrossing uneventful existences can be in the hands of the right actors." I agree. For a story about average working class people in NY who smoke pot and live their lives while dreaming about a better time its very charming and surprisingly moving. This is a great film.

Philip Seymour Hoffman's directorial debut (and, of course, only effort as director) is a small indie flick based on an off-Broadway play (written by Robert Glaudini) in which he starred. He plays it very safe in both his direction and acting, but the results are pretty satisfying. Hoffman plays Jack, a man who has zero experience with relationships. His best friends (John Ortiz and Daphne Rubin-Vega) set him up with Amy Ryan. She likes him fine, but Jack finds he has very little to say to her. He decides to make himself a better man by learning to cook and swim (two of the interests she mentions on their first date). Jack is a pretty typical Hoffman character. In particular, he reminded me of Scotty from Boogie Nights. Ryan is good, but the script really doesn't give her much character. Ortiz and Rubin-Vega, playing a married couple who are having some troubles, are fairly interesting. Hoffman opens up the stage origins, and the film actually looks quite nice, especially during the swimming sequences, which have some nice underwater photography. I suspect most, or maybe all of the play takes place in Ortiz's and Rubin-Vega's apartment, where most of the biggest scenes in the movie take place. The film's worth seeking out.

Philip Seymour Hoffman's directorial debut and the only one so far. As an old man who been out of the "dating scene" for some time, I could completely sympathize with Jack. Being set up with a blind date and not knowing what to expect. Some say the pace of this film was too slow. It's about being in no hurry, like dating used to be (a long time ago). Clyde and Lucy, Jack friends, are in a long relationship. Jack sees them as happy and he sees in Connie his chance to be like them. He slowly woos her, ready to change almost everything about himself to succeed. When he finds out he has won her heart, he's not surprised it's nothing like his friends' relationship at all. Clyde and Lucy have a few problems that Jack becomes aware of throughout the movie. (Things he really didn't want to know.) After the dinner scene I waited for the line either Jack or Connie could have said, "I don't want us to be like them".

I like Phillip and was excited to watch this movie but this is my third time attempting to watch this. I give up. It's so slow and uneventful I just fall asleep or get distracted. An annoying thing about this movie was they played an entire album, didn't even bother to be creative and pick a bunch of artists (until they ran out of songs on the album). It was so consistent with the music it felt like I had a CD playing rather than a movie. If you are looking for a nice movie to sit down with and enjoy don't bother with this one. Personally I would find writing the word 'Apple' 10,000 times over and over more exciting. Rating: G'ay out of 10