I don’t wanna feel Blue anymore...
I didn't expect much when I decided to watch the film but honestly I didn't expect it to be such shallow self-serving. Like, I know most people would disagree. I mean, if you compare it to most movies coming out it's not too bad, maybe even good. But for me, someone who is rather knowledgeable in both Salinger's work and his life, it was a disaster.
And it's not even a number of factual inaccuracies though some of them also were irritating. I realize it's a movie and some things will be changed for dramatic effect or brevity but I really felt like the changes were rather random and often just outright unnecessary. What I found the most disappointing about the movie is that it's pretty much based on a pile of cliches. Considering the high expectations and the interest of all the Salinger fans out there they really could have done better. The actors did their best but most roles were so incredibly shallow it was sad to look at. Almost every scene was so easy, so stereotypical and safe.
In terms of a biography, I think taking nearly 30 years - his entire writing career - was biting more they could chew. Many parts became blurred and indistinct, such as bring home his new wife and her disappearing just 2 scenes later. And while they did portray some of his shitty attitude to his wife, it did not even begin to describe the extent of the damage he's done to her and his children. And of course there were all the young girls whom he dated which was outright creepy. And as much as I love his books, if you gonna film a movie about the man, you have to do more than just making him a hero, a survivor and a martyr, you gotta bring out the unpretty parts too.
Just writing about it is tiring. What I love Salinger's work for is subtlety and this is one thing the movie definitely lacked.
One of my favourite critic reviews:
lithub.com/rebel-in-the-rye-is-bad-for-writers/
And it's not even a number of factual inaccuracies though some of them also were irritating. I realize it's a movie and some things will be changed for dramatic effect or brevity but I really felt like the changes were rather random and often just outright unnecessary. What I found the most disappointing about the movie is that it's pretty much based on a pile of cliches. Considering the high expectations and the interest of all the Salinger fans out there they really could have done better. The actors did their best but most roles were so incredibly shallow it was sad to look at. Almost every scene was so easy, so stereotypical and safe.
In terms of a biography, I think taking nearly 30 years - his entire writing career - was biting more they could chew. Many parts became blurred and indistinct, such as bring home his new wife and her disappearing just 2 scenes later. And while they did portray some of his shitty attitude to his wife, it did not even begin to describe the extent of the damage he's done to her and his children. And of course there were all the young girls whom he dated which was outright creepy. And as much as I love his books, if you gonna film a movie about the man, you have to do more than just making him a hero, a survivor and a martyr, you gotta bring out the unpretty parts too.
Just writing about it is tiring. What I love Salinger's work for is subtlety and this is one thing the movie definitely lacked.
One of my favourite critic reviews:
lithub.com/rebel-in-the-rye-is-bad-for-writers/