Circus

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flea circus
Good lighting and cinematography, otherwise smug and sophomoric script by Tarantino-geek clone, who fancies that drama is achieved through endless scenes of bullying and barnyard expletives. Its key villain, Bruno, is several rungs below Cesar Romero's camp "Joker" caricature on the old BATMAN TV series. (In voiceover commentary, the inept scriptwriter infers that audiences disliked the performance because they weren't hip enough to appreciate that Bruno is SUPPOSED to be an unlikeable sadistic egotist--as opposed to the likeable variety of such a goon.) The Brit TV triumph HUSTLE and the 1970s classic THE STING outclass this puny busy-ness, not just because they had better budgets and were produced by competent filmmakers. They had genuine wit, style, and characters (villains included) worth audience interest. The commentary track lays the blame at the feet of the tween-brained screenwriter who, here, is "Ed McMahoned" by one of the film's fatuous, fawning producers. If you really want to experience essence of this movie, save your money and pound your head with a hammer.

Take the road less twisted
Too many plot twists add up to not caring much about what happens to whom. The actors are all decent to good, the script has its moments, and all in all this could have been better, I guess...somehow. Instead it's a mushy mess with no one to cheer for or care much about. It starts out rather ugly and violent but gets better as it becomes more character-driven. Even then, it's missing the snap and humor and pacing of Lock Stock and other successful films of the genre. Worth watching on late night tv if you can't sleep, maybe. Other than that, pass.

Cool Story, Excellent Cast
This movie was perfectly cast, with a very cool plot. It is VERY entertaining, and has some funny lines, too. The only thing that keeps me from giving it 5 stars is the poor directing. I recommend it anyway.

A clear winner, in all arenas some may not stomach the concept
CIRCUS (2000), is a movie that very few people in North America know about, because of its British origin, and cast, which is unfortunate, considering the quality, the story, and the sequence of events that will have people's jaws dropping over 90 mins, with considerable amusement, and some shock. Once more, Famke Janssen reprises her "eye-candy" role as the token hot girl, as was the case in Made or Rounders, for example. The story deals with characters in the British underworld, For that reason alone, it may turn off, scare off the majority of viewers who think they'll have to hold their noses as they watch the silver screen. Some may doubt of the entertainment value possible or feel righteous in rejecting it on account of the theme. However, if that were the case, how to explain the success of the Godfather, or Agatha Cristie's movies, Perry Mason, etc. ? Especially enjoyable, is the peppering of a sense of humor throught the script is, as is the discerning taste in the music selected in the proper moments, and the surprisingly good taste in the choice of filming locations. e.g a famous seaside resort in the UK, a beach, a garden party at a wealthy billionaire's estate, the numerous night scenes skillfully filmed. All this is done so as to not depress the viewer, or instill negativity notwithstanding the simultaneous brutality of the characters throughout the first half of the movie. Also appreciated, are the subtitles so as to better understand the English accents and the widescreen release. A head's up to some audiences, who may find objectionable behavior, the cutting off of fingers, the eating a ear off a victim, brutality, extorsion, grifting, horse races and cards gambling, the repeated setting up of "houses of mirrors" by expert con men on their marks, with even their cohorts not suspecting anything until they fall in the traps, not to mention the overall unproductive lives that the characters seem to be leading in this strange world of their own. The director consciously decided as added spice, select vehicles, Rolls Royce, Austin Mini, Mercedez Benz 80's vintage, Citroen from the 70's, etc. The editing is also impeccable as the action is non-stop, freely flowing coherently from one scene to the next until the end. With a mix of action outdoors, and indoors, and a successful human touch present from start to finish, the script was crafted skillfully enough to not allow the audience to mull over the insidious underlying behaviors too closely. However, what makes this story totally unrealistic, is that the law is entirely absent. However, with only 90 mins, this is understandable. Overall, CIRCUS is a clear winner, in all arenas of evaluation, with the caveat, of course, that some may not stomach the concept.

Circus
Pay close attention, you'll need to. The story winds around so many loops, it's tough to figure out where the story will go, and who is playing whom. If you like a mystery with a twist, you'll like this.