The Life of David Gale.... Official Thread.

[jonas]

Who's seen this movie?

I just got back from the movies and I saw this movie. All I can say in words is this movie was awesome.

The ending totally screwed me up and made me want to scream.

It was one of the best films I've seen in a long time.

Who's seen it, lets discuss.

(Reviewers hated it because of what it standed for. I hate that. Stupid people who are afraid of peoples reactions.)

[Diff-chan]

I saw this a few days before it came out (for free, in the theaters, wh00p!).

Here's the thing.

The writing is okay, but nothing special. Laura Linney and Kevin Spacey both do pretty good with what they're given. Kate Winslet does just fine as well. The movie, from suspense/plot progression standpoints, move just fine. But thats to be expected when you got guys like this running the show. I was not once bored, and the movie never really lagged, so all those points are pretty good.

But I have major problems with the plot. Before I start, let me say that I am in fact against the death penalty:

This movie's point is to try to believe that flaws exist in the death penalty, that things can be manipulated. But by who? By people who are frauds... dishonest people... people who if you ask me have no business being involved in matters such as this, because they are cons.

If the movie's point is to say that the system doesn't work, one can easily respond by saying that the system doesn't work if people directly set out to manipulate it like this. David Gale wasn't honest. Him, and that cowboy hat guy (I forgot his name, sorry), and Laura Linney directly set out to make fools of everybody. Sure, it worked... but, really, is this reality? Is this taking a stand? Characters like this are not very likable, and its hard to admire somebody like this. In a movie where you are supposed to be like, "wow, these guys really took a stand on this, they died for it", that didnt really happen. I was more like... "wow these guys are pretty evil, corrupt, manipulative frauds".

As much as a case can be made against the death penalty with something like this, somebody can also make a case for the nuttiness and silliness of liberals who would point to something like this in their case.

Also, the point can be made that it takes a stance sort of like John Q.... in that its horribly one-sided and doesn't present a drop in support of the other side. Its a glorified, two hour, X million dollar soapbox. In fact, the movie goes as far as to basically say that anyone in support of the death penalty is an idiot (the scene where Gale interviews the governor, the governor's "lets not throw the baby out with the bathwater" speech). If you ask me, thats pretty irresponsible... but it's their movie to make. Still I would've preferred a more thorough, careful examination of the death penalty in a film like this. That's a much harder film to make, you know - I guess Parker wasn't up to the task.

As such, I cant really say I liked the film. But it did stick with me for a little while. A nice effort on the part of Parker and company, it was just misguided and dishonest if you ask me.

[jonas]

Ya it was but if you think about it, no one in that 'world' would know he was dishonest and that they were liars.

She said anything off record she takes to the grave. I know its hard to fathom she could take that to the grave but thats why she went to jail as they stated earlier.

This movie truly I think was awesome. So many people say what you've said but it is just a movie, is it not?
True the content may be hard to contend with but I still think its a great great movie.

[Diff-chan]

Its "just a movie", maybe, but the filmmakers didnt make it for people to say that its "just a movie". They clearly made it with a higher purpose, to try to tell everyone what they thought of the death penalty. The movie should then be viewed from that perspective.

Whether or not she tells anyone anything doesnt mean that he is any less dishonest, or anything I said earlier doesnt matter. It all holds, its just that less people know about it.

[sleeve]

I haven't seen it, but from the plot descriptions I've read it sounds like the type of movie I hate.

[jonas]

They were all dishonest and they did put the old screw job to their fellow texans but I guess they just figured that in death they would get their point across.

I really liked the story. I agree that the film makers did try to get their point across but I try to watch it for itself. The story whether or not morally correct was awesome, in my opinion.

But dont get me wrong here, the last scene made me want to throw something at the screen too but that scene I believe made the movie so much better for me.
Ive never felt that in a movie before.

Quite awesome.

[Diff-chan]

pixelassassin, its great that you like it. Im just telling you why I didnt really like it. But I dont get this sentence... "I agree that the film makers did try to get their point across but I try to watch it for itself.". Watching the movie for itself is watching it knowing what the filmmakers wanted to say with it. The two are functionally inseperable, especially with a heavy-handed film such as this one.

[jonas]

What I meant is I try to take everything to do with the real world and throw it away when I watch a movie.

I try to get into the character world (even though this is our world, its still ficticious) and watch the movie for what it is.

Im not saying youre wrong or anythng, I agree with you on many things about the movie and the more I think about it, the movie is a little evil and sinister in the way of having characters do such dishonest things.

But when I watch a movie, I tend to watch a movie for what is presented. I know this movie stirs a lot of shit with the death penalty stuff but I try to block all that out.

True the filmmakers had intentions and a meaning behind the movie but to me I dont really care about that. I just care about whats a good movie or not.

You could say you must take that into consideration but no always.