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Fresh and Exciting

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

I am a Jude Law, and I will admit that there are parts of the film that meandered and bored me. Also, some of the comedic touches barely made me laugh. But Jude Law is absolutely mesmerizing as Dom Hemingway. When he is on screen I just couldn't look away. Does the film have problems? Yes, this is a flawed film, however, because of Law's performance I have given this a 7/10. It might be a little too generous, but he made an otherwise distasteful picture quite palatable.

I had not intended to watch Dom Hemingway. I never heard about it before it came on while I was tuned to HBO. But its opening scene is hard to ignore. A man in a prison is standing naked while someone (out of the camera view) is giving him a blow job, while the prisoner, who announces that he is the great Dom Hemingway, waxes poetically about the greatness of his cock. Once hooked I couldn't stop watching. Throughout the film Dom speeches have a Shakespeare-like quality about them, not realistic perhaps but fascinating language. I was mesmerized by Jude Law's performance.The plot involves Dom serving 12 years in prison to protect his crime boss, and his odyssey in pursuit of the reward he feels is his due. Dom has anger management issues and is clearly admired by his fellow prisoners and feared by the civilians who know him. Melody is one of the hookers the crime boss rewards Dom with. Later in the film she reappears as a sort of angelic seer who helps him change his life and his luck. On his release from prison Dom meets up with an old friend, a criminal named Dickie, who sticks with Dom on his crusade to get his reward for his 12 year sacrifice. Dickie is played magnificently by Richard E. Grant, a British actor who looks a bit like a young Max von Sydow.

I had no idea what type of film this was - just watched it because it had Jude Law in it who I have not seen in a while. Almost turned it off after the opening scene, and the next scene did not impress either. Both suggested this was going to be a revenge themed movie and I was just not in the mood. It seemed that it was going to be a loud, British gangster flick, all hype and flash, no substance. Well, I continued, and to my surprise it's turned into a comedy - albeit a really dark black comedy. And Jude Law is simply mesmerizing. I think the negative comments about this film are due to peoples expectations. This film simply is not like any others - and is really hard to fit into a box. I laughed and was really touched (with tears welling) in many scenes as well. I am almost sure this is one to watch again too - as there was really way too much going on to capture in one viewing. The dialogue is memorable and needs a re-listen or two to really appreciate. The other characters counterpoints are just as important, but you often don't catch them till later, and then another scene is distracting you from thinking about them. Sure this dialog is not realistic, but this is not that type of film. It's a bit like Shakespearean prose delivered with a frenetic Robin Williams style, but with the attitude of Dennis Hopper (various roles) combined with a bit of Joe Pesci as Tommy DeVito in Goodfellas.

Dom Hemingway (2013)Yeah, as many reviewers say, this is a mixed bag. Jude Law is excellent, but he plays such a repellant character you don't really care how good he is. Or care about his fate. The movie around him is well built, well made. The plot around him is thin, however, really boiling around him trying to get some money back from old cronies after getting out of jail.So heads are bashed and one flamboyant escapade after another pulls us along, with no real "development" of either the plot or the character. You can't say it gets exactly boring because it's all so outrageous, but it isn't satisfying, either.So director Richard Shepard deserves credit for being brash and out there. And writer Richard Shepard (same guy) deserves some criticism for not taking this bold scenario anywhere actually interesting. Or moving. Or, blimey, original. It's odd to notice that a movie this original lacks basic originality. For a fast and unfair comparison, look at "Pulp Fiction" for a similar outrageous romp with cons and ex-cons. That one was original, whatever you think of it. This one lacks all those loops and hoops, the formal and narrative surprises that you actually do need.See it? Maybe not. Law is truly excellent and in some ways it's worth seeing him for his acting, if you can appreciate that separate from the rest of it. He's so different than his usual sweet pretty boy self, it's a minor jolt. And there are some fun, campy aspects to it all that keep it perky and odd, or at least peculiar, which is worth something. That it doesn't matter, or gel, might not matter if you just like the style.