David O'ConnellSean Penn's 'Assassination' attempt
May 2nd 2008 04:54
The Assassination of Richard Nixon, a very fine, ultimately tragic film from 2004 is the only feature from director Niels Mueller.
Sean Penn as Sam Bicke gives another of his gut-wrenching, immersive portrayals of a man struggling to overcome persistant inner demons as his life slowly and mercilessly disintegrates around him.
In truth he's a pretty disturbed guy, who seems to be unable to accept that his marriage is over to Marie (Naomi Watts); he's deluded himself into thinking they can make repairations and restore their family unit, though it couldn't be any clearer that she's long since moved on. His brother has disowned him and he's struggling in his new job as a salesman under Jack Thompson in a furniture goods store. His only friend, and ally he thinks he can trust, is a struggling mechanic played by Don Cheadle.
The year is 1974 and in voice-over he recites mournful letters to his hero Leonard Bernstein, bemoaning the state of America, and the need for one man to make a difference to avenge the country's evil corporate and other conspirators. But of course it's Richard Nixon himself, who Bicke watches on TV, who is the main focus of his hatred and disillusionment. His ultimate quest, which he imagines and prepares for, is to hijack a plane and crash into the White House.
There's the obvious parellel to Travis Bickle with this guy, (which considering Taxi Driver is one of my favourite films, is what drew me to him), a man who is, in fact, supposedly based on a real person.
This film isn't in the Taxi Driver class of course but the themes that emerge from it cut across similar worlds and the narrative arc is a similar one.
I like the film a lot though the only thing that's slightly off-putting involves Penn's performance itself - he's very good of course, but perhaps he does slightly overplay the whole downtrodden, 'sad-sack' persona a little too much. Bicke seems a little naive and childlike at times in the way he seems to confront - or rather NOT confront - reality, but I suppose it could be seen as being merely symptomatic of his illness and mental decay.
I bought it for the most part but I imagine it's a performance which would grate on a lot of people and be ultimately dismissed.
The climax of the film, as Bicke's deluded and hopeless quest reaches a full-blooded attempt at reaching fruition, is superbly filmed in it's gritty details as brief as it is.
In fact the whole film so accurately captures the texture of so many of the great 70's films (which I think is the best decade ever), that it almost feels like a document of that era and a lot of that can be attributed to cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki who did such great work recently on The New World and Children of Men and has shot the next Coen brothers film as well.
The last frame itself is one of incredible power and overwhelming tragedy as you get the sense that another tiny, pointless life has folded into the darkness with barely a whisper left behind.
The Assassination of Richard Nixon is an impressive debut from a filmmaker to watch, the perfect antidote for those who appreciate, even more today, the aesthetics of the great 70's films of American cinema.
Sean Penn as Sam Bicke gives another of his gut-wrenching, immersive portrayals of a man struggling to overcome persistant inner demons as his life slowly and mercilessly disintegrates around him.
In truth he's a pretty disturbed guy, who seems to be unable to accept that his marriage is over to Marie (Naomi Watts); he's deluded himself into thinking they can make repairations and restore their family unit, though it couldn't be any clearer that she's long since moved on. His brother has disowned him and he's struggling in his new job as a salesman under Jack Thompson in a furniture goods store. His only friend, and ally he thinks he can trust, is a struggling mechanic played by Don Cheadle.
The year is 1974 and in voice-over he recites mournful letters to his hero Leonard Bernstein, bemoaning the state of America, and the need for one man to make a difference to avenge the country's evil corporate and other conspirators. But of course it's Richard Nixon himself, who Bicke watches on TV, who is the main focus of his hatred and disillusionment. His ultimate quest, which he imagines and prepares for, is to hijack a plane and crash into the White House.
There's the obvious parellel to Travis Bickle with this guy, (which considering Taxi Driver is one of my favourite films, is what drew me to him), a man who is, in fact, supposedly based on a real person.
This film isn't in the Taxi Driver class of course but the themes that emerge from it cut across similar worlds and the narrative arc is a similar one.
I like the film a lot though the only thing that's slightly off-putting involves Penn's performance itself - he's very good of course, but perhaps he does slightly overplay the whole downtrodden, 'sad-sack' persona a little too much. Bicke seems a little naive and childlike at times in the way he seems to confront - or rather NOT confront - reality, but I suppose it could be seen as being merely symptomatic of his illness and mental decay.
The climax of the film, as Bicke's deluded and hopeless quest reaches a full-blooded attempt at reaching fruition, is superbly filmed in it's gritty details as brief as it is.
In fact the whole film so accurately captures the texture of so many of the great 70's films (which I think is the best decade ever), that it almost feels like a document of that era and a lot of that can be attributed to cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki who did such great work recently on The New World and Children of Men and has shot the next Coen brothers film as well.
The last frame itself is one of incredible power and overwhelming tragedy as you get the sense that another tiny, pointless life has folded into the darkness with barely a whisper left behind.
The Assassination of Richard Nixon is an impressive debut from a filmmaker to watch, the perfect antidote for those who appreciate, even more today, the aesthetics of the great 70's films of American cinema.
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
It could be argued this is Penn's greatest performance. Good review.