Air corn or a deadly divorce - a kind of murder with a beautiful entourage, average acting
'18+'
A man. A man loves a woman so much. And a woman -- a woman is so attracted to a man. Man and woman. They often don’t know each other, even if they’ve known each other for a long time. Marriage changes a lot, allows you to learn more about each other... sometimes too much. Therefore, marriage can easily become defective.
What do they do with marriage? It's being disposed of. Companies are afraid that the defective thing, even though it works for the most part, will get into circulation and somehow spoil the image of the company. Therefore, they make sure that such a thing is completely destroyed.
No one likes marriage ... no one likes commitment ... responsibility. Taking responsibility for something is such a mess. You created something, did something, and then this thing lives... what if it causes someone pain and inconvenience... what if there is a marriage?
Therefore, sometimes people, realizing that their marriage is a marriage, dispose of it. Someone is in public, someone is quiet... and someone, perhaps, is doing something terrible... and the viewer takes a can of Coke, a box of popcorn and goes to look at it under air corn.
In fact, of course, it is better to use special institutions for our business, where marriage is created and dissolved. The registry office is such a place, it records our lives literally from birth to death through all the essential metamorphoses like marriage. An excellent institution that has established itself among the public as apolitical and very loyal to everything accustomed.
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A movie like a registry office ... accompanies us all our lives from death to life, from divorce to this one, whose name is not worth saying out loud. Our film calls for fear of a lot of things, first of all, their desires - sometimes they are murderously mate ... mothers ... materialize (oh, even without an electronic spelling assistant wrote - five from the KP for me). A harsh kitsch about the frailty of our existence. For what are we eating and drinking? We eat the dust, therefore the dust of this world. Peace be upon us. See if you sow death in thought or deed, you will soon reap the same. Enjoy the movie.
The production center Killer Films took a big risk when he invited Andy Goddard as the main director. He has very little experience in filming full-length feature films, his only time happened with the film “Lighting the Stars”, but it did not find a response neither from critics nor from the audience, and the rest of the time Goddard spent in the pavilions for the filming of series. But Goddard had a powerful material in his hands - the thriller "Trap" (in the original "A Kind of Murder", which does not translate as "Trap" and the domestic rental name does not correspond with the synopsis of the film) is based on the novel by Patricia Highsmith herself, a man of antisocial, but at the same time brilliant, it was thanks to her that the world learned about "Talented Mr. Ripley" and "Strangers on the Train", about "Carol" and "American Friend". Goddard had only to squander such a strong material, but, looking ahead, we can say that he did not cope, as did Susan Boyd, who debuted as a screenwriter-adapter.
Those who are not familiar with the creation of Patricia Highsmith, awkwardly translated here as “Trap”, then I report that we are talking about Walter Stackhouse (Patrick Wilson), a fairly wealthy gentleman who is in an extremely difficult family situation, since his outwardly attractive wife Clara (Jessica Beale) is clearly in the stage of psychosis. Clara is pathologically jealous, she finds any reason to make a loud scandal, her mood is beyond her control: she now sheds tears, then suddenly lights up with a smile. In general, a woman's mental disorder is on her face. But Walter can not divorce her, Clara herself prevents it. And suddenly Stackhouse catches the eye of a newspaper article about a certain bookkeeper Marty Kimmel (Eddie Marsan), who is all suspected of murdering his wife, but there is no evidence. Walter Stackhouse pays close attention to this event. Why would he? Does he want to write a book, or does he have other plans? . .
Don’t think that there are spoilers in the description of the plot of the film, because I only indirectly touched on the content of the film, giving only a small bait to a potential viewer, and there can be a lot of this, since enough viewers love the genre of a psychological thriller. But I must warn you, it is better to read Patricia Highsmith’s book before you start. The fact is that the director of “Traps” presented everything so that, in fact, he forgot that this picture is a thriller. The tension in “Trap” is very small, you only have to follow the action, bored in anticipation of the ending, and suddenly it will bring something unexpected, which will turn the entire original idea of the film. It seems that props tried to recreate the era of the early 20th century, they have no complaints, but the atmosphere is not felt at all. Only the composers of the film Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurrias somehow support the reputation of a psychological thriller. The depth, drama, suspense were somewhere confused by Eddie Goddard and only the climax was something like an old-fashioned thriller. If that were the case for all 95 minutes of the Trap...
From the final failure of the film pull actors who did their job professionally. For example, Jessica Biel after her statements that her family is in the first place for her, they immediately stopped inviting her to a worthy movie, but Jessica did not lose her ardour and convincingly showed an insane lady, from whom her head began to crack in five seconds. Patrick Wilson not so long ago adapted to the performance of the main roles, hitherto limited to the status of a recognizable, but still a minor actor. The Trap proves that Wilson can play the main characters. It was still interesting to follow his character, because you wonder what he's up to and how far he's willing to go, how smart and cunning he is, or maybe he's a victim of a fateful coincidence. Patrick clearly reflected all this in his game, but still he clearly helped in creating the image of the literary source, because Goddard’s straightforwardness did not contribute to the formation of a deep character. Eddie Marsan is true to himself, he always plays important minor characters at a high level. But the potential Hollywood star Hayley Bennett was given too little filming time to say something specific about her. But very good Vincent Carthuser, who played a detective obsessed with the case of Marty Kimmel. Honestly, sometimes he resembled a real sadist, crazy on the basis of his hard work to find killers.
It turns out that Andy Goddard clearly did not take the great chance to make himself known when he made a film based on the novel by the master of psychological thriller Patricia Highsmith. The straight-line presentation of the material, the lack of tension, the tangential work with the dramaturgy, the inability to adequately stage the final - all this turned the Trap into a passing film. If it were not for the convincing performance of good actors, then few people would pay attention to this tape. We can only wait for the new Alfred Hitchcock to become interested in any work of Patricia Highsmith and give the world a new masterpiece.
5 out of 10
"Trap" - a very leisurely, but interesting detective in its own way, which, due to its relatively small timekeeping, ends before it gets bored.
So, in the center of the story at first glance, the ideal married couple - Walter and Clara Stackhouses. However, everything is not so smooth in their house - Clara, obviously suffering from a mental disorder, constantly arranges a tantrum for her husband, jealous of everything that moves, and as a result, Walter increasingly distances himself from his wife. At the same time, the wife of a local owner of a second-hand shop is murdered, and her husband Marty Kimell is the main suspect, despite a seemingly reliable alibi. From this point on, two seemingly unrelated stories intertwine, influencing each other.
As I said, the picture is slow. It does not show the investigation as such, of course there is no action, but the Trap still looks with interest. The film is well written and well shot. It is worth noting the good acting work of Patrick Wilson and Eddy Marsan, given that most of the timekeeping we will have to watch them.
As a result, there are no genre discoveries in the Trap, there is nothing particularly outstanding, it is just an interesting story that you can read and which is ideal for an evening calm viewing.
6 out of 10
To watch this tape, I was prompted by several things. First of all, it’s a film that caught my interest. It followed that the picture can be an interesting plot with a couple of unexpected twists and turns, an excellent detective component, a tense atmosphere and, bonus, an unpredictable outcome. The second one is Patrick Wilson, who I know from a few movies and I like him as an actor. The third is the 18+ rating, which I always welcome in movies. But in fact, everything was simple and straightforward.
The main intrigue of the film almost at the very beginning comes to naught. Why was it necessary to show the opening scene the way it was done? After all, it becomes clear who is guilty of murder. And besides, there are no other suspects and do not appear in the film. Although, maybe it was intended and the creators did not want to make the main genre detective, but for me it would be more interesting if the film detective. The first hour of the film is just a family drama, which tells about the everyday part of the life of a married couple, about their relationship, where the husband is tired of constant bums on the part of a mentally ill wife. The background through all these family scenes is a sluggish murder investigation, not related to the main character. As the hour passed, I began to get tired of it and miss an event that directly affects Wilson’s character. This somewhat enlivens the narrative and introduces a new intrigue. Here already added tension and atmosphere, it became more interesting to watch. The psychological confrontation of two husbands with each other comes to the fore. Also, each of them does not say, or hides important facts from the investigation, and if Marsan’s hero has any motive, then Wilson’s character is questionable. He was frightened and he was frightened. Sounds inconclusive.
As a result, the film came to an absolutely straightforward finale, the main character did not fall into any trap, there were no unexpected turns in the plot, there was no unpredictable outcome. The ending of the picture seems to end and leaves a couple of questions on the script, which does not add to the pluses of this movie.
And why was the tape to give a rating of 18+ is not clear at all, nothing in it is not a claim, but a small remark, but I usually pay attention to the age rating to know what to expect.
Among the bright advantages can be noted the style and atmosphere of America of the sixties with their clothes, cars, interior decoration of houses, fashion for smoking everywhere, music. Actors in the main roles are also not sloppy and cope well with their roles.
In general, the film seems to be good with its style, atmosphere, actors, but still something is wrong. The last movie I saw was The Girl on the Train, but there was a more confusing plot, more suspects, the main character was developing, and so I like it better, although it is designed mainly for a female audience. The trap, of course, can be seen for familiarization, and even to enjoy, but more than once is unlikely to want.
I wonder how many other viewers, besides me, bought the bait of "Traps" - the inscription on the poster "According to the novel by Patricia Highsmith"? I think there were a lot of them, because any of the films, which was based on the work of the legendary American writer, somehow became a sensation – whether it was Strangers on the Train by Alfred Hitchcock, The Talented Mr. Ripley by Anthony Minghella or Carol by Todd Haynes. Therefore, the “Trap”, filmed by Andy Goddard, who managed to breathe into the grandiose television series “Downtown Abbey” a unique era of the 60s, the audience had certain hopes. If so, let’s try to figure it out together.
New York in the early '60s... Beginning author of detective stories Walter Stackhouse stumbles upon a newspaper article about the corpse of an unknown woman found at a bus stop near the grill bar “Rainbow”. And although the identity of the victim is easily established, the case remains unsolved - the only suspect, who is the husband of the deceased, has an ironclad alibi. And Walter, long dreaming of getting rid of the hated wife, decides to get acquainted with the suspect closer.
Few people know about this fact, but “Miscalculated” (namely, this is the name of one of the early novels Highsmith, which formed the basis of “Trap”) has already once got to the big screen – in 1963, it was filmed by the classic of European cinema Claude Otan-Lara, and its variation of “Miscalculated” called “Murderer”, in which Marina Vlady played, was quite successful – the film lacked a strong psychological background, and to the extent of a confusing plot. Unlike its predecessor, "Trap" limps on both legs from the very beginning, primarily due to the complete absence of suspense - the hero of Marsan from the first frames inspires suspicion with his appearance of an evil old man, without causing any doubts about his guilt, and the hero of Wilson appears in the usual image of a mattress, also quickly bringing on himself all sorts of suspicions by an affair on the side, which he is not able to hide from either his wife or from the police, which, as you know, destroys the detective and thriller component of the trap at the root. From the complete defeat of the “Trap” saves the entourage of old New York, vintage cars and outfits of the heroes, but they are unable to allow “Trap” to escape from the plane of an undemanding thriller that could not earn even three thousand dollars at the American box office (this is with such a caste!). From nothing to do you can see, but to the best examples of film adaptations of Highsmith works the trap does not reach.
5 out of 10
A new movie from a serial director who had a hand in many famous American TV projects.
This time it is a full-length dramatic thriller with famous actors and a good budget. The story itself is very good, confusing and dramatic, but the implementation of the famous novel was not very exciting. A drawn-out and boring narrative can plunge into sleep, if not for one But - interest in the hidden secret in the actions of the main characters.
Events in the film develop slowly and carefully, gradually dragging into the essence of what is happening, but, alas, you do not experience a bright catharsis in the end.
Personally, I think it’s the director’s approach to the story.
So, if you don’t watch this movie, you won’t lose much, but if you’re interested in long-running detective stories about the perfect murder (like “The Girl on the Train”), then please go to the screens.
Perhaps it is not uncommon to meet people who at least once thought about how it would be “great” to get rid of his wife. Some are in an absolutely serious mood (judging by statistics, very often spouses are murderers), and some in a frivolous and perhaps even joking form. When the spouse ceases to attract you physically, does not suit in terms of behavior, and numerous quarrels have crossed all possible limits of human patience. This idea is actually reflected in this film directed by Andy Goddard.
Patricia Highsmith can be safely called one of the best authors of the detective genre. Being a true psychologist and pen master, Highsmith has always created magnificent works that can keep the final pages of novels in suspense and cause ambiguous impressions by very complex characters of their works. Unfortunately, I have not read Highsmith’s original novel and cannot judge the quality of her adaptation. I can only say that the plot of the picture really causes a slightly ambiguous impression when viewing.
The very idea of the picture is not bad enough and interesting. Moreover, this film begins very spectacular and intriguing, but very slowly rocks and begins to gain momentum towards the most interesting. Hence, it is not surprising that even with a rather modest timekeeping in an hour and a half of screen time, the plot of the picture seems a little sagging and slightly drawn out. But even so, losing interest in what is happening is not possible. Since the main intrigue of the tape is held by the most final titles. Allowing you to doubt to the last and think about whether the main characters of the tape are really guilty of killing their wives, or all this is only the fruit of the mad fantasy of an obsessed policeman?
In many ways, the film failed the appointment to the post of director Andy Goddard. On the one hand, Goddard managed to prove himself perfectly when working on such series as Daredevil, Dawton Abbey, Doctor Who and many others. On the other hand, having become accustomed to the fate of the "recruitment director" and to the limited 40-45 minutes of timekeeping, almost all serial directors are not able to create a complete and worthy feature film. Goddard is no exception.
At first glance, the visualization of the picture is very worthy. Costumes, cars, decorations and other attributes are easily sent to the corresponding American era. Moreover, perfectly playing these elements and a kind of noir atmosphere on the screen. But Goddard is far from Minghella and not Hitchcock and he failed to withstand an even atmosphere of tension and sharpness on the screen. As a result, the film looks absolutely impartial and not emotional, and a very modest timekeeping in an hour and a half of screen time seems a little bloated and drawn out.
A truly decent game is demonstrated by Patrick Wilson and Eddie Marsan, whose play perhaps pulls the entire film on their shoulders. Including a decent game by Vincent Cartheiser, who managed to create a truly charismatic and vivid image of an obsessed cop. The weak link, contrary to expectations, was Jessica Bill and Hayley Bennett. Bill perfectly got used to the image of a hysterical wife, who would have killed any spouse long ago, and Bennett is charming and sexy so much that no man could resist her. But the characters were so poorly spelled out that to move from the background and develop on the screen their full potential, both actresses failed.
5 out of 10
The trap is a vivid example of completely deceived hopes. When having the original source of the cult Patricia Highsmith, a magnificent cast and everything necessary to create a decent sample of a detective thriller, the viewer is forced to get a very bland, devoid of any emotions and simply sterile film. Quite watchable for the first time, but not at all causing a desire to watch the film again, but a pity.
Murder committed. There is a suspect, but there is no evidence against him. There is a man tired of family squabbles with an eternally depressed spouse, who comes up with the idea of doing something terrible and finding bachelor freedom.
Director Andy Goddard offered the viewer a good detective thriller in the style of noir, not without flaws, but quite interesting and suitable for viewing. The main roles here were played by Patrick Wilson, Jessica Biel and the gaining popularity of Hayley Bennett, who implemented the standard love triangle for all time.
The film centers around the married couple Walter (Wilson) and Clara (Bil) Stackhouse, whose happy times are long gone. The first year of marriage was successful, but then everything collapsed. Clara turned into a paranoid depressive lady, able to make a scandal about and without, Walter chose a position of indifference, trying to forget about family troubles, visiting bars and writing crime stories at night. These two once found each other, but then lost themselves in everyday life, for which, probably, neither of them was ready.
That is why, tired of this state of affairs, Walter drew attention to a man named Kimmel (Eddie Marsan), whose wife was recently stabbed to death, and the detective who leads this case considered Kimmel the main suspect. The hero of Patrick Wilson, at first considering Kimmel solely in literary interests, was convinced that he had dealt with his wife and therefore suddenly realized that he wanted something similar, especially since a charming and sexy Ellie (Haley Bennett) appeared on the threshold of his house.
Then the events unfold quite unexpectedly, because the sudden death of one of the characters will entail a chain of lies that will be closely intertwined around Kimmel and Walter Stackhouse, and the same detective named Corby will prepare a dangerous trap for two men, trying to lure suspects there.
The film primarily attracts the beauty and atmosphericity of the picture, offering the viewer a contrast of gray and gloomy tones with bright, conspicuous colors, passing through the interior of houses and offices, costumes of heroes, their makeup (if we talk about the representatives of the beautiful half of humanity). Dark blue and gray walls of houses and black cars, along with gray costumes, look very impressive next to bright blue jumpers, beautiful and well-groomed women, blood-red bar signs, which immerses the viewer in that very noir atmosphere. This also contributes well to the music, unobtrusively sounding in the course of the development of the plot and emphasizing the unkind thoughts of the characters, weaving their lies into the plot canvas and not letting you know until the very end what the outcome will be.
At the forefront here comes the human indifference, which looms with the help of Stackhouse and Corby. The director very clearly demonstrates how a person, pursuing his interests, can either do nothing and just wait, not make any attempts to somehow correct the situation. And if he tries to create something, he does it not too willingly, acting as a suicidal person who opens his veins, but does it so that either the blood stops flowing, or he can be found and saved a life. In addition, Goddard offers to see another human nature - the desire to achieve the desired result, walking on the heads and pushing the foreheads of others, watching from the side to what it will all lead. The subtle psychological line through A Kind of Murder is enjoyable and, to be honest, I don’t quite understand why The Trap didn’t win fame among viewers and critics. There are few such films today, but if you manage to get to them, having managed to clean up a lot of film slag along the way, you get pleasure from contemplation.
But look at you. I do not impose my opinion on anyone.
Patricia Highsmith is an outstanding writer. She built her career on the art of the unknown, mysterious murders, betrayals. Of course, she had some skills as a psychologist, because the characters in her works were as if alive and the books from her pen focused more on characters and experiences than on detectives. Naturally, this talent has attracted filmmakers for the past 55 years. The most famous film adaptation of Highsmith’s book is probably “The Talented Mr. Ripley”, which hit the spot with its combination of atmosphere with thoughtful characters and a special dark atmosphere. The Trap, in turn, was probably one of Highsmith’s most unsuccessful adaptations. To follow any of the elements that Highsmith laid down in the literary original seems rather a strange coincidence.
The Trap tells the story of Walter Stackhouse (Patrick Wilson), a successful architect. He has a hobby in the form of writing detective stories. Walter suffers from the traditional problems of a man in marriage, so writing stories is also a way for him to pour out his soul. Hobbies of the hero, as well as some circumstances of his family life, make Walter a suspect in a series of murders.
According to the script component, “Trap” includes elements of the thriller, as well as chases and “accidental meetings”. By and large, there is no detective here, somehow everything is too banal and ordinary. The film works best when the director tries to show a story about a kind of internal conflict. It's interesting to watch a hero in such an unusual situation. But these elements, which are, in my opinion, the main ones in the picture, are ignored for some reason. It seems that many scenes and plot twists were cut out of the script, important for revealing a particular character. This is like a bare sketch of a story that is told in fragments.
Another problem of the film, in my opinion, is the complete absence of any pretty characters. Or interesting characters, even if interesting in their shortcomings. Patrick Wilson is charming as Stackhouse, but his character is empty. Even the detective came out smug, stupid and offensive. I remember, perhaps, Mr. Kimmel, but in his picture is not enough.
From the technical side, I want to praise the picture. In particular, costumes and props were successful. It seems that the costumers felt the atmosphere more than the director. The era is gently emphasized by costumes and decorations, as well as details like a gilded cigarette case. And, obviously, the film tried to distinguish itself by its approach to demonstrating stylistics: colors complement each other, different shades are used for various situations (Walter shirts in different scenes, bright red dresses, etc.).
It is possible that “Trap” could come out as a great film and even become a classic of the genre. This, of course, would require both rethinking the script, adding suspense and a good mystery, and structuring the narrative. Visual environment alone is not enough for a detective, especially in the noir format. After all, the main thing in such an installation is the psyche of heroes. And sad to see how here, instead of exerting psychological pressure on the characters, sadly move the plot.
5 out of 10
It's a very, very good movie. Of course, this is a comparative assessment. The screenwriter skillfully adapted the story of Highsmith, and the director of this script quite professionally visualized.
The first main advantage is that the film is not boring, since acting and directing art is not what to tell, but rather how to tell. And that's okay. Interesting casting, you can see the directorial work with the actors.
Special thanks to the production operator: the right angles, great light, and the person clearly knows how to prepare a storyboard, everything is very worked out.
The main advantage of the film is that it will not be delayed. We have forgotten that brevity is not only the sister of talent in literature. Showing everything you need, without plot failures and feeling when watching the rush to the train is a sign of careful, thoughtful work.
The third advantage: good atmosphericity and attention to the study of visual details. I’m not going to write it here, it’s easier to see.
Summary: It is definitely recommended for viewing. Against the background of the flow of abundant film foam of varying degrees of yellowness, you will enjoy just seeing a well-made movie.
I do not want to dwell on the shortcomings, they are insignificant, uncritical and due to the lack of experience (and as a result, excessive diligence) of the director. But he has a taste and a sense of proportion. He also knows how to make movies. That's enough.
The name of Patricia Highsmith is associated with at least a dozen dramatic bestsellers, which were scattered around the world in extensive circulations and as a result interested in this fact producers. The bright, rich psychological thriller performed by Highsmith intrigued readers with a not so twisted detective line as a deep, meticulous analysis of the inner world of the acting heroes, who repeatedly challenge the inexorable fate, thereby bringing unforeseen consequences, akin to an inevitable catastrophe. Unlike most of her colleagues, Patricia Highsmith achieved recognition during her lifetime, having been honored to see her own works on the big screen, but the most famous film based on the works of the writer was born after her death. Anthony Minghella’s painting The Talented Mr. Ripley, although not the first film version of the novel of the same name, made the general public talk about itself, thereby resurrecting Highsmith’s work for the masses. Following the adventures of Mr. Ripley in the guise of Matt Damon, the producers have repeatedly turned to the history of the charming maniac, simultaneously developing other projects inextricably linked with the heritage of Highsmith. One of them was the “Trap” of television director Andy Goddard, who left a small meter aside for the sake of conquering true cinematic peaks. As with "The Talented Mr. Ripley," "Trap," or "A Kind of Murder," was not the first attempt to bring the original source to film. More than 50 years ago, the French took a closer look at Highsmith’s novel in the version of The Killer, and now it’s time to return to the story of a double murder in an ambiguous but definitely notable film adaptation.
So, the plot of the film takes us to the middle of the 60s of the last century and introduces the successful architect Walter Stackhouse (Patrick Wilson). From the outside, it may seem that the hero has everything you can dream of: a chic house with unusual design elements, a beautiful wife (Jessica Beale), a quite successful realtor and a perfect hostess. Stackhouses do not experience material need, enjoy every day lived, they have a lot of loyal comrades, prospects for the future are only the brightest. It seems that it is time to put them as an example of a successful one hundred American dream, but behind the chic facade of an ideal life lies a ruin, expanding further and further, destroying the flimsy family life, which has long let indelible cracks. Tired of endless claims, tantrums and imaginary conjectures of his wife, Walter increasingly thinks about how to escape from the family trap. And the further the thoughts of an annoyed man go, the more he wants to deal with the problem once and for all. But who would have thought that thoughts actually tend to materialize in the most wondrous ways? Mr. Stackhouse’s hidden dreams and desires come true and his wife leaves him alone. However, everything happens a little differently than our hero expected. His wife dies at the hands of an unknown person and it is logical that all suspicions of the police fall on the closest person in Clara’s environment – her husband. Trying to whitewash his honest name, Walter focuses on a nearby bookstore owner named Kimmel (Eddie Marsan). According to reports, the wife of a modest, no-nonsense layman was killed in the same place as Stackhouse's wife. Putting everything together, Walter is going to bring an unexpected opponent to the stage, getting involved in a game on the verge of a psychopathic disorder that promises complex consequences.
Like other novels by Patricia Highsmith, which received the honor of film adaptation, the original source of “Trap” cannot boast of a special detective component, since the writer focused on the development of characters, which has always been a feature of her works. I was not going to change anything and Andy Goddard, whose investigation actually boiled down to ordinary platitudes, cutting the root of intrigue. But instead of a weak detective line, which did not shine and the novel, “Trap” gives us a meeting with interesting characters who got into a rather unusual situation. At the head of the story is Walter Stackhouse in a convincing performance of Patrick Wilson, and he tries in all colors to present the mental confusion of his hero, unable to determine what is really valuable to him. Wilson actually plays his part so that the viewer believes in his throwing, but for some inexplicable reasons, the director did not always give him the opportunity to open with the proper emphasis, limiting promising, potentially dizzying scenes, thereby turning the Trap into an undecided thriller that places accents in the wrong places. The main bet of the story, made on a calculated search for the killer, does not allow to fully enter the position of Walter, even though his wife was, to put it mildly, not an angel. A skilled director would be able to beat the search for the essence of the main character with elements of sincere sentimentality, but Andy Goddard still has a lot to learn, and it is somewhat regrettable that the work of Patricia Highsmith, and not some less eminent author, fell into his experimental plan.
Special expectations associated with the picture, caused the participation on the leading plan of Hayley Bennett, a young, and not yet the most famous actress, in recent years gaining serious momentum of intellectual popularity thanks to well-chosen roles. In The Trap, the girl had quite decent sketches for her image to be imprinted in memory, becoming the energy pill necessary for the plot, which influenced the actions and actions of the main character performed by Patrick Wilson, but the entire potential of the skillful, not stupid and incredibly charming actress was thrown by Andy Goddard to an art dump, from which Bennett was remembered only by her attractive appearance, illuminating the frame at every appearance at the camera lens. Of course, this is not what you would expect to see in a strong psychological thriller, but apparently the director thought otherwise. Also not impressive is Eddie Marsan, who embodied Kimmel, the object of the obsessive attention of Walter Stackhouse. According to the script, he did not need to be full of eccentric actions on the screen and demonstrate the obsession of illogical actions, and nevertheless Marsan could not create a memorable image with a double bottom on the available material, since Andy Goddard refuses to enter the complex dramatic maze, remaining only at his entrance.
From a technical point of view, “Trap” is built academically competently, with all the attributes of the environment chosen by the director of the time. The set is filled with authentic cars, the characters flaunt in pleasant costumes. The retro setting, caressed with curtseys to the noir style, is complemented by many little things, the reliability of which is not to be doubted. And although the "Trap" partially looks theatrical, this does not reduce the merits of the entourage, attracting attention and partially smoothing the dramatic inconsistency of the tape, which was announced through the fault of Andy Goddard alone.
In the end, I want to say that “Trap” pleases the eye with the successfully recreated style of the past era, attracts attention with the famous primary source and once again confirms that Patrick Wilson is able to play well outside of horror. A little let down only Andy Goddard, who still needs to gain experience.
5 out of 10
Why isn't this guy so lucky? Why did film critics pour slops and give a pitiful 36% of generously? Against the background of a million monotonous modern crafts, “Trap” is fabulously good.
But consider that you've been deceived. Not filmmakers, distributors. They advertise the film as a detective, and people with a small reading circle have no idea that Highsmith has never written a detective story. Her specialty is psychological thrillers, where the pettiness of the human soul faces tragedy not in size. And what Goddard shot most fits the definition of “story drama”.
Architect Stackhouse slowly goes mad, exposed to the constant pressure of his neurasthenic wife. Not so far from him lives a book seller Kimmel, who is suspected of murdering his wife. And here the director Goddard shows himself perfectly, not once speaking out loud, but creating the space when the viewer peeks at the thoughts of the hero. We haven't been told yet that Stackhouse wants to kill his wife, but we already know that. According to the views, on the hunted expression, on the fascination with the story of Kimmel, who, as he believes, got away with it.
What is kind of murder? What is murder – a malicious deprivation of life or a constant thirst for someone else’s death, the solution of the problem through someone else’s disappearance, freedom from endless family psychological persecution? The kind of madness that lives in people, the distorted forms of the family, is what Highsmith was interested in. And a better screenwriter than Goddard is hard to imagine. The film is full of obeisances to Mingele and Hitchcock, but still those masters made their films based on the ideas of Highsmith, Goddard himself does not exalt personal meaning, creating exactly the same conflict that was in the book. After all, when Stackhouse's wife is dead, he gets into a confrontation with Kimmel. Each tries to drown the other, surrender to another madman - Detective Corby, who hunts for both, getting sadistic pleasure from what drives victims whose guilt can not prove.
Goddard feels diligent, but there is no ingratiation in him. Bright, juicy video series does not carry additional symbolic meaning, it is designed only to reveal the main message. And Goddard does this brilliantly. A blurry wedding scene, a semi-legal club, arches of an abandoned basement, thin mannequin fingers. Still, I don’t understand the critics (and people who gave low ratings, probably, too), because I can list a dozen paintings of absolutely low-grade art house, which is praised for creativity, when in “Trap” the chic ability to repeat the thriller of the 60s.
And it's not just about clothes and vintage design, it's also a method of shooting. One of the reasons why I don't find it easy to please modern cinema is the prevalence of general and long-range plans, which make it seem that everything is filmed on surveillance cameras. Goddard persistently uses old methods of editing, as well as medium and large plans, giving the acting game to look convex, visible.
It's a brilliant movie. Not as brilliant as the masters of the genre, but much above the average level. With a subtly observed atmosphere, without a single positive hero, without a detective component. A psychological thriller about a confrontation, in which a blood-red dot will be put as bright as the film itself.
I love people not, love for a person would kill me.
Before us is almost the main character of the story Walter, combining two professions: architect and writer of detectives, from this moment the curiosity to the character disappears, replacing the boring picture of a static book detective. The role was played according to the script, as actually intended, the husband was presented in his typical template: “He constantly tried...”, perhaps this phrase was an excuse in his work, because the appearance of an extra person in a relationship was caused by just such efforts, this moment in the film is a small link with which the actress could not cope, she did not fit the role externally.
I was repelled by the appearance of Hayley Bennett - it seemed not her role, the mistress should not push away, cause so much outrage, on the contrary, the plot explains the extremes of a man whose wife needs the help of a psychotherapist and there is no point in saying how it should be, for example, to be with his wife or immediately leave her, the question in the filing is very unnatural. By the way,
Jessica Biel played delightfully and organically, only she represented the atmosphere of her time, which can not be said about the scenery or other actors. Clara perfectly conveyed torture, hopelessness and affection. At the same time, it justifies her and literally kills her.
Usually, detective stories become clear by the end, in this film everything is written in the abstract, it is worth watching the film only because of the exact book presentation, the literary nature of the film is felt acutely, after watching the feeling that the whole book has been read. The undoubted plus - well-chosen costumes, attention to trifles, in this regard, the picture is quite pedantic. Very disappointed with the quality of the shooting and the approach to the film adaptation. In other words, not to say that bad, rather average, therefore,
5 out of 10
We were instructed to think about how Patrick Wilson’s character crossed the threshold of another world. The character is characterized by a very rich lifestyle in the suburbs with his wife Clara with sunny and lush flowers. It then moves into the darker, seductive, erotic and bohemian world of jazz, represented by the character Hailey Bennett. He also enters the dim world of Eddie Marsan's character, who lives in a bookstore, and it's not clear if he could have killed his wife or not. Its space consisted mainly of olive-green color, diluted with nicotine yellow with a brownish tint. It felt like something dirty and dirty. (Andy Goddard )
This is an interesting title for a new project. I myself know another film "Trap", which starred "Hillary Swank", "Jeffrey Dean Morgan" and "Christopher Lee". To avoid confusion, it is better to translate the title of Andy Goddard's work as "A Kind of Murder". Not far from the truth, it is worth noting. The main character Walter Stackhouse committed a kind of murder mentally, but not physically. This does not absolve him of responsibility, as two women were killed in similar circumstances.
Is it a coincidence? The investigation comes to a standstill, and the detective investigating the case gradually loses control over himself. After all, “in business” is also the husband of one of the murdered women – Kimmel, who has an iron alibi at the time of the murder and from whom suspicion is still not removed. As we have known for a long time, statistics say that when a woman disappears, the first thing to do is always suspect a husband or boyfriend or just a friend. In addition to the detective, the doubter himself will want to check this.
It is difficult to call the plot confusing and unexpected. I don’t know if the best of Patricia Highsmith’s books was filmed, but the story, unfortunately, does not shine with unexpected twists and mysteries. An attentive and sophisticated viewer will immediately understand who the killer is, since the screenwriter and the director present him in all its glory, as the style of the film was presented in all its glory. Seriously, the antagonist is detected almost instantly due to appearance, behavior and look.
Walter himself is seen as a confused man who, like a child, does not know what he wants. It lies, it spills the truth. It is difficult for him to attract the sympathy of the viewer, since he is concerned with the identity of the killer, rather than the murder of his wife. Although a man can be understood, because his wife clearly did not pull on grace itself, annoying with hysterics and scandals. It is clear why the character Haley Bennett was needed, Ellie, but she does not justify her presence, simply disappearing into a vague dream. History is falling apart.
Funny, I've never seen an actor so inappropriate to be a detective. His face, hairstyle, voice were well repulsed, although this character was supposed to attract attention. It was his aggressive behavior that indicated a loss of control. Such a person is a priori weak. By the way, it is impossible not to note how much annoyed the constant smoking of the heroes. Cigarettes should be used skillfully, and not add them to almost every frame, as long as they are held in their hands.
Of course, with all the criticism, the film still has an undeniable advantage. It's work on mise-en-scene and lighting. Many shots are stifling with beauty. The choice of the right colors allowed to recreate the attractive world of ancient times. Walter's wife is a Stepford miracle, and he himself flaunts in colorful clothes. Unfortunately, this work with a small budget was not enough for a positive reaction. Noir noir, and the glorious exciting plot was not canceled. That's right.
The very idea of Patricia Highsmith is to imagine a world that seems beautiful. If you think about the films of the so-called “Highsmith territory”, immediately pop up in the memory of “The Talented Mr. Ripley”, “Two Faces of January” or even “Strangers on the Train”. It’s a beautiful world populated by beautiful people in beautiful clothes until you scratch the surface and something dark opens up. I thought it would be interesting to imagine this world as beautiful and dramatic as we could. There were many references to Edward Hopper. I suppose I wanted to distance myself from the obvious noir references, but it's hard to avoid them. (Andy Goddard )
5 out of 10
For the first time, Patricia Highsmith’s novel “The Blunderer” (in the original “The Blunderer”, the guys do not know the exact translation) was filmed by the French in 1963. The second time he took up in the 14th and then released in the 16th. The first thing that catches the eye is a vague recreation of the 60s, in this regard, the movie is more like a costume party with a couple of old cars. It is not clear why the film was embodied in this time, it seems logical, since it is based on a novel written in the mid-50s, and yet, if you undertook to do well, and not for pro-forma, and if you can not do it.
I have not read the book, and it is unlikely that any of the current viewers will be familiar with it, so I judge cinema without reference to a literary work. The movie description and trailer are much more intriguing than they should be. They promise a mystery, a thriller, maybe even something like "Gone Girl." And we get everything that is claimed, but minus the detective component. That is, complex destructive family relationships, quite corny shown: a hysterical married woman, an arrogant girl and an unhappy rotten man. Perhaps it will seem psychological, dramatic or God knows what, but I think this film adaptation is simply boring. The only character somehow catchy is a detective, obsessed with confidence in the guilt of the bookkeeper. Vincent Cartheiser plays well and is interesting to watch. But Bill and Wilson do not cause this feeling, whether it is the script or themselves, it is difficult to say. There are not many events in the film, and almost all of them are displayed in the trailer. By the end of the film, all hopes for any curious denouement are shattered, the credits, the curtain.
5 out of 10