Only now does it occur to me... that Nic Cage once played Rick Santorum in SNAKE EYES, the biopic focusing on his lesser-known early career as a sleazy Atlantic City cop.
Weird, I just watched this last night. The ending was... not good, but everything leading up to it was pretty great, I thought. Particularly the performances by Cage and Sinise, and the De Palma touches like the split screen sequences, the overhead shot looking into the hotel rooms, and the 13 minute opening steadycam shot (I counted two hidden cuts, but still, impressive).
Anyway, I, too, thought Cage said his name was "Rick Santorum" at first (and it sort of works anyway, considering his characters political aspirations). Despite being a sleazy, corrupt cop, I still found his character more likeable than the actual Rick Santorum. Maybe it's because one is played by Nic Cage in Face/Off mode, or maybe it's because of the other's absurd views on same-sex marriage, the separation of church and state, and, well, everything.
That is bizarre. Obviously, agreed on Santaro vs. Santorum likability, though nearly anyone short of Torquemada would win on that account.
I, too, had similar thoughts about the film itself. I'd rank the first 45 minutes or so with the best work De Palma's done; however, it begins to deflate, and then, as you say, the finale is something less than... acceptable. But hell, I'll take this over the usual Hollywood fare any day of the week, if for nothing but the camerawork alone.
Weird, I just watched this last night. The ending was... not good, but everything leading up to it was pretty great, I thought. Particularly the performances by Cage and Sinise, and the De Palma touches like the split screen sequences, the overhead shot looking into the hotel rooms, and the 13 minute opening steadycam shot (I counted two hidden cuts, but still, impressive).
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I, too, thought Cage said his name was "Rick Santorum" at first (and it sort of works anyway, considering his characters political aspirations). Despite being a sleazy, corrupt cop, I still found his character more likeable than the actual Rick Santorum. Maybe it's because one is played by Nic Cage in Face/Off mode, or maybe it's because of the other's absurd views on same-sex marriage, the separation of church and state, and, well, everything.
Brian,
ReplyDeleteThat is bizarre. Obviously, agreed on Santaro vs. Santorum likability, though nearly anyone short of Torquemada would win on that account.
I, too, had similar thoughts about the film itself. I'd rank the first 45 minutes or so with the best work De Palma's done; however, it begins to deflate, and then, as you say, the finale is something less than... acceptable. But hell, I'll take this over the usual Hollywood fare any day of the week, if for nothing but the camerawork alone.