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Showing all 34 reviews...
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A good political film, with a good gritty performance by Penn.
7/10
4.7.2007 -
cfh_trendkill@ - age: 26-35
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This movie could of been very very good. The casting is outstanding and there was something good in the story BUT the movie was way too long... and we got very confused. Too bad because the cinematography was very good.
5/10
27.11.2006 -
nferron@ - age: 36-49
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[ATTENTION: This review reveals content of the movie.]
All the Kings Men is a remake of the 1949, Oscar winning film; based on the Pulitzer-Prize winning book by Robert Penn Warren. This version is directed, written and produced by Steven Zaillian, the writer of Oscar winning Schindlers List. This film has a stellar cast including Sean Penn (Mystic River), Jude Law (Closer), Kate Winslet (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), Mark Ruffalo (13 Going on 30), Patricia Clarkson (Pieces of April), James Gandolfini (The Sopranos), and Anthony Hopkins (Silence of the Lambs) A film inspired by a real governor of Louisiana, Huey P. Long, shows us what a bad remake really is, especially when the original is a Best Picture Oscar Winner. An all-star cast, with limp accents, takes us on a five year journey (and makes it feel like ten) of a politician, Stark (Penn), who promises hicks like (him), in a speech of conviction that he can do many things for them, only to later show us that he cant walk the walk. This dark story only gets darker when the film progresses to show us how a man can change, especially when he gains a lot of support, particularly from his ego. With an extremely monotone beginning, the first hour is spent sitting in the cinema, incapable of following any conversation, due to the actors dreadful accents. After the characters give the audience a lot of incomprehensible information, the plot shifts and Stark changes for the worse, as children die at his expense due to a faulty fire escape, causing him to be easily disliked by the audience, especially since he seemed very straight laced in the beginning. It was not only the acting, but also the lack of attention to finer details, that could easily distract someone from the characters and what they are saying. For instance, in the dining room, as Anne (Winslet) and Jack (Law) eat their lunch, there is a white veil which comes down over the table via the ceiling. As Anne speaks, the veil acts as a screen in front of her face, but then why when Jack speaks is the veil nowhere to be seen? Then, as the shot widens to both Anne and Jack, the veil is off to the side. All the Kings Men depicts what happens when all sorts of different people come together when they probably shouldnt. Probably why Stark was elected by those who felt they knew him and then once he was elected, collided with new people and quickly spiraled down. Considering the film had an Oscar winning director, writer, and producer and a cast composed of many Oscar winning or nominated actors and there was still much dissatisfaction. Maybe its one of those If I saw it again
films, but that is doubtful. It explains the reason as to why there were only three saps in the theatre..
5/10
2.11.2006 -
santinijulie@ - age: 13-17
I enjoyed the movie and the story line of the movie. Great acting (Sir A. Hopkins and Sean Penn)
7/10
22.10.2006 -
yves,pro@ - age: 36-49
Wow, went with high expectations from all the hype, but supremely dissapointed. I am not a Sean Penn fan anyway, but I thought I would give him the benifet of my doubt! Well I should not have gone. I nodded off through some of the movie, felt uneasy through the fifties syle cinematography and arrangement, the story was unbearable, the audio was tooo loud and it really seemd like an overstuffed, overthetop, beatmeovertheheadwithSeanPenn flick! I will say Jude Law gave a really good performance in a subtle backseat kinda way! Other than that utterly horrible!!!
2/10
9.10.2006 -
walelea@
Great acting from Sean pen! But... what can I say? I just do not recommend this movie. You will waist 45 minutes of you time, u wanna no y 45 mins? Cuz u'll go out of the theater after 45 mins! Thats what half of the people did! Haha...
3/10
8.10.2006 -
scary_hooty@ - age: 18-25
If you have insomnia, I guarantee that this will cure it. I had trouble staying awake throughout most of the film. Since all of the actors were mumbling, I have to assume that this was done deliberately. Perhaps, it was a subterfuge to cover up the script. Also, the plot didn't flow. It was confusing. It's a shame that I have seen all of these actors give stellar performances in other films, but this time they've been given a lemon to work with.
3/10
7.10.2006 -
gerrbone@ - age: 50+
Wow... What a disappointement!. At least there was Sean Penn but you would think a cast of Anthony Hopkins, James Goldonfini, Cate Winslett, Mark Ruffalo and Jude Law could of done better? Maybe Chris Rock was right saying Jude Law over rated?
5/10
6.10.2006 -
sentenza99@ - age: 26-35
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Sean Penn will win an Academy Award for his performance!
9/10
5.10.2006 -
gr8gul4@ - age: 50+
Firstly--I am a big Sean Penn fan and even had the pleasure of having a beer and a chat with him a few years ago. However great his acting is in this movie the problem is that he totally envelopes and even eclipses all the remaining characters and plotline. That problem originates with the screenwriter and director relying heavily on the audience being so mesmerized by his talent that they would forgo normal expectations.
6/10
4.10.2006 -
victoryork@ - age: 50+
What can be said for a movie that had about 15 people in the theatre at the beginning and after 40 min or so 7 people walked out, me being one of them! What a waste of an outstanding cast. AVOID!!!
1/10
2.10.2006 -
pozcanon@ - age: 26-35
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It liked the movie, well maybe it was really good because I saw the premiere but nevertheless, the plot was excellent. It's for a mature audience. You have the lesson very closely to what Sean Pean is saying over his strong southern accent. Over all, the movie was very entertaining.
7/10
1.10.2006 -
tiger_eyes18@ - age: 13-17
The accents were too thick to understand. I finally got used to it by the end of the movie. The actors are fabulous, granted, but the entire movie was too much hype and not enough of an interesting movie. I was quite disappointed.
4/10
30.9.2006 -
robynwaher@ - age: 18-25
Very well done... probably best suited for a more mature audience.
9/10
29.9.2006 -
charleydickens@ - age: 36-49
Penn's southern accent sounds as if he has a mouth full of marbles. This is non-stop through the whole movie. Bring a pillow, it's a snoozer. This movie is in the same league as "the thin red line." Boring, badly acted and directed. Save your money rent a video.
2/10
28.9.2006 -
bellebandit007@
Well-acted of course, held my attention for most of it, but confusing especially at the end. You think you have it entirely figured out and then something will happen to make you go "huh? "... I thought it was just me being blond, but the person I was with didn't full understand one main point either. I'd like to watch it again and try to catch more of the details, but there are too many other movies out there to spend my spare time on. Not bad overall.
7/10
27.9.2006 -
boutilier,rm@ - age: 26-35
Good everything but the entertainment... it's was just too drawn out for my liking.
6/10
26.9.2006 -
itishere@ - age: 50+
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Sean Penn is great in this, but does tend to overact a bit. His performance is so powerfull you kind of get lost in it. It is a bit confusing at times also. Not bad, but wait to rent it.
6/10
26.9.2006 -
cathy,scott@ - age: 26-35
Could be a better movie with all those great actors.
6/10
25.9.2006 -
mariette,robichaud@ - age: 36-49
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An interesting dialogue on the subtleties of morality and corruption. Sean Penn alone is responsible for my rating. The other characters were all one dimensional and the editing was irresponsible.
7/10
25.9.2006 -
m,j,brown@ - age: 50+
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Well directed and acted, I would have liked the story to have had more to do with Stark, but definitely worth seeing.
8/10
25.9.2006 -
blogs88@
It was powerfull... Jude law has a very good performance... Sean Penn may be even too strong... it is a good story and considering the type of story the cast made a good job so it could be good to the last drop ;)
10/10
24.9.2006 -
lutherp@ - age: 26-35
Very enjoyable... Sean Penn was great!!!
8/10
24.9.2006 -
macleodcarol@ - age: 36-49
If you are familiar with the history of Louisiana Gorvernor Huey Long, the basis for Sean Penn's character, then you can fill in the gaps on Willie Stark's origins and motivations. If you don't, then you don't have a chance to understand him or the story. There are too many holes and the characters were poorly developed. So, despite an all-star cast, this film falls short of the Mark and is a mediocrity.
5/10
24.9.2006 -
codogno@ - age: 36-49
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