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10 out of 11 people found the following review useful: Gotham A rare find, 28 July 2005 Author: matenmoe from United States
Gotham usually gets confused with that city-with-a-comic-book-superhero in it. This is a horrible thing for such a terrific movie. It has nothing to do with that comic book! If you love film noir, and can actually FIND this movie(also known as "The Dead Can't Lie")-probably only on a VHS, then you'll be sorry if you DON'T get it!I love this film because there are so many new things to find each time I watch it. It is a show about a Private Eye who is down on his luck until a man offers him an assignment no one else will take. His job is to find this man's ex-wife, who is continuously stalking him, and try to get her to cease and desist. The problem? She has been dead for 10 years! NO- this isn't some cheesy ghost story,and this is no comedy! It really sucks you in, and leaves you wanting to watch it again. I found Gotham to be an eerie yet believable film which still haunts me every time!!
7 out of 7 people found the following review useful: Subtle, sardonic, and at times very disquieting, 23 March 2004 Author: (bnpierce@facstaff.wisc.edu) from Madison, Wisconsin
I first saw Gotham in 1989 and then in 2001 and it stood up well: Gotham is on the one hand an ironic tribute to hard-boiled detective movies, but it chooses to keep its irony under the surface rather than over-the-top, telling a susupenseful and carefully unfolded story with real twists and turns even as it tosses the occasional wink taht we've seen the set-pieces before. There is real suspense as we watch Tommy Lee Jones get in way over his head--he takes it well enough when he discovers, early on, that he is indeed dealing with a malicious ghost--but from there on he is forced to watch with his own investigators detatchemht as he fall in love with this ghost, going down hill physically and every other way step by step--at the end, he is faced with a battle for his soul as serious as Sam Spades faces at the end of "Maltese Falcon"--and, even at the end, the wry humor returns to wrap it all nicely up. By the way--keep yuour eye out for spooky oddities at ther corner of your vision--they are there!
6 out of 8 people found the following review useful: A must see for Tommy Lee Jones fans, 10 July 1999 Author: sondi moore (sondi_m@hotmail.com) from virginia, usa
How do you stop your dead wife from harassing you? Hire a good detective who can tell her to stop. Tommy Lees Jones portrays a down on his luck gumshoe is approached by a man who is being followed by his dead wife. Jones figures if the man is crazy enough to offer his money, he's just crazy enough to help him. Is she dead? Check the refrigerator, take a cruise but stay out of the church. This made-for-tv film keeps you going, wondering just who is seeing things. Don't close your eyes for too long or you just might miss something. If you like a good mystery, this one is a sleeper-keeper. You might have to look on the back shelf of the video store to find it but however it's worth the search. A great movie for a rainy weekend afternoon.
3 out of 4 people found the following review useful: Very good but a little confusing, 9 December 1998 Author: Mcthorpe from Nr. Liverpool, England
This film was probably better if viewed when it is not one a.m. in the morning but the BBC in their wisdom decided to relegate a classy film like this to the slot around midnight. In fact if it had not been on straight after Highlander I probably would not have watched it. If I hadn't I would have missed a treat. Tommy Lee Jones was at his brilliant best as the private dick hired to find a man's dead wife. I did miss a bit in the middle which did not help but I was a little confused for quite a while about who was and who was not dead. Maybe that was the entire point of the film. But the film does carry an important message "The dead can't lie. It's something I've learnt."
5 out of 8 people found the following review useful: Sexy, mysterious and off-beat, 1 January 2000 Author: doeadear from California
I really enjoy this quirky, sensual film, but even after several viewings, I am still a bit confused about the plot. It's not one of those bizarre films where you shake your head and say "what?", but rather one that keeps you going up and down different alleyways. Tommy Lee Jones is very sexy and perfectly cast as the rough and tumble private eye hired to get a man's dead wife off his trail. But, is the wife really dead? What is fantasy and what is reality? Virginia Madsen is drop dead gorgeous, no pun intended. She and Tommy Lee Jones have a very hot sexual chemistry between them. This is the only movie with the formidable Mr. Jones that I have seen him engaged in a passionate, nude love scene. This alone is worth renting the movie. It's not great, but it's very old-fashioned, gritty film noir, and extremely sexy, and definitely not predictable.
7 out of 13 people found the following review useful: An unjustly-neglected American classic of the Inner Landscape., 10 June 2001 Author: (pjmyers@ix.netcom.com) from Millbrae, California
What REALLY happens inside a man when he "falls in love"? If you want to begin to get a clue, or - better yet - if you are tearfully trying to grasp what on earth has happened to you in particular, you should see "Gotham" - again and again. It is an American classic of the Inner Landscape.I wonder how much idea Tommy Lee Jones and company had of just what they were enacting. Only as much as writer/producer/director, Lloyd Fonvielle, was able or willing to tell them. Siskel & Ebert, etc., totally missed the point. Why? Because people in our culture are not prepared for a movie whose plot/premise barely holds together as a tale of what occurs in the world but which, as an inner story (dream- or myth-like), works quite beautifully. (In that sense the movie's plot is rather like our lives!)Your enjoyment/comprehension of this movie will be much enhanced if you have at least some familiarity with the Jungian Anima (I mean conceptually - we men all do experientally, although depressingly few know much about, or acknowledge, Her!). If you don't, I don't want to put you off. It will do quite nicely if a woman's image has - in whatever way - just devastated you, or some man you know, inside. I've never seen a movie where this is so graphically depicted. The decline and Fall. "How will I find you?" Eddie quaveringly asks. "Don't worry," she wryly replies, "I'll find YOU." Oh, yes.This movie is incredibly rich in symbols and insight, and really repays multiple viewings. Even if you don't understand why Eddie's name is Mallard; why Rachel's face has suddenly become chalky white as she turns and emits her spine-chilling anger when challenged by Eddie on a matter of historical accuracy; the Doorman; why it is death to "sleep with a ghost"; what the pirate's sword is all about (re-read your Tristan & Isolde, the chapel); why She MUST emerge from the mist, at the brazier, to warn Eddie not to embark on his own destruction, before herself taking the executive role in bringing it about ("I've KILLED you, Eddie…and I'm GLAD I did!"); the role of the psychic detective (that's you - or could be); the splitting of the male psyche into Charlie and Eddie, as separate disastrous approaches to Her; the jewels (and this IS pretty murky!); the themes of watery immersion, pugilism, paganism vs Christianity, etc., EVEN THEN…something will scratch at you as watch this movie.As you can probably tell, I'd love to bend your ears with a full-scale analysis, but the 1000 word limit protects you from people like me! Feel free to e-mail me if you want to talk about Gotham, I never found anyone on my wavelength (what a shock).
0 out of 1 people found the following review useful: What a pleasant surprise! Original and unusual., 23 May 2006 Author: manuel-pestalozzi from Zurich, Switzerland
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
I did not know what to expect of Gotham, and I really was pleasantly surprised. The title is misleading, the location is realistic and unmistakably New York, as it is in the present. And the protagonists represent „normal" people, they are really more than mere comic book characters.The movie elegantly walks the dividing line between comedy and the film noir/horror/mystery genre. The story works from start to finish. It is really good and entertaining, I suspect it is a transcription of something European from the 19th century or even a classic folk tale, the basic question being „how do I pass the nasty ghost that's pursuing me on to another guy"? The cast is very good. Tommy Lee Jones plays a private eye who is at once very masculine and insecure and vulnerable. In other words, the classic Marlowe type. Jones pulls that off wonderfully, he definitely is a great and versatile actor. I enjoyed his multi layered, „deep" performance enormously. Virginia Madsen is perfect as the elegant, sexy and extremely nasty ghost (great wardrobe!). Completing the triangle is the woman's former husband, played by an actor hitherto unknown to me called Colin Bruce whose performance is excellent and memorable. In fact, Jones and Bruce are an excellent team here, they really made me think of some of the finest original films of the noir genre.Even visually, Gotham offers far more than the average fare. Somehow it reminded me of the work of director Robert Wise. The New York locations are put to good use. The overall atmosphere is consistently somber and brooding. I found it quite appealing. There is an unforgettable scene on the top of a not very high skyscraper somewhere in Manhattan with a good panorama over some older buildings of the area. The makers of the movie made the daring decision to film dream sequences the same way as the rest, so the viewers are never quite sure if what is going on is part of the main protagonist's imagination or real. Some may find that confusing as the method is rather uncommon in today's movie making. I found it gratifying as it gives me the feeling I am being taken seriously as a viewer.They had some nice „directorial ideas" here which are well filmed: Jones gets a glass of eggnog (or some such) thrown in his face. Distraught as he is, he does not wipe the milky liquid off and it frosts immediately. Looks great! The ghost at one time drowns in muddy water in full regalia. Etc, etc.Gotham displays everything it takes for intelligent entertainment. I can highly recommend this movie.
0 out of 1 people found the following review useful: Intriguing but not great, 12 June 2005 Author: Luc_Emuru from US
I thought the storyline was provocative, and the writing was good but not superlative (Kevin Jarre is a wonderful writer, and I'm willing to bet the script would have been lots better if the director had left it alone.) Tommy Lee Jones was fantastic, as usual- his leading lady was a beautiful woman but a mediocre actress. Liked the Russian Orthodox priest, too; a fun addition. Really liked the lady singer doing 'Where Or When' in a club where the couple met. 'Danny Boy' was lovely, as well, as was the Latin piece the leading lady danced on the roof to. Fun movie to critique and "improve" in your mind as you're watching it. the soap opera crowd would probably love it without reservation. The meticulous might very well cringe. All and all very entertaining.
2 out of 6 people found the following review useful: Virginia Madsen, 25 February 2005 Author: cbeavin20 from United States
Virginia Madsen is up for an Oscar.I remembered her role in the Movie Gotham with Tommy Lee Jones. For those who would like to enter a different reality enjoy! I see that it was a TV movie I recommend this movie for all mature audiences.Tommy Lee Jones was fantastic and you see another side of his acting style. Virginia Madsen carried the movie and does not disappoint!The setting takes place in New York in the night with lighting and sets that are spare and allow the actors to fill the night with their mysterious liaison.If I cannot make the 10 line minimum it would be a shame i don not want to "give" the movie away. The mystery is the movie.I hope someone will see the movie and be able to fill in the needed ten lines to entice others to watch!
4 out of 10 people found the following review useful: Brain teasing lies and dark seduction., 25 June 2000 Author: Aberlass from Scotland
Q: What do you get if you put a naturaly gifted actress with powerful screen presence, together centre stage with an actor who exudes raw, truthful bearing? A: An extremely interesting and tantilising mind game. Sadly, too few films, since the 1940's, allow both the male & female leads to both shine absolutely equaly, profiting the end result. The culmination of Jones & Madsen's performances is a retro work of art. The casting & editing is vibrant, but this narrative should have been directed by an Art House impresario, because lost in mainstream tv it becomes merely a taxing jigsaw.PLOT: The two titles are part of the puzzle aspect to this film. For 'Gotham', read as - Goth-ham or Gothic 'ham', as in a noir spoof, or if you equate Gotham with Batman, then evolve this to the catchphrase 'the dynamic duo' and you have the Madsen & Jones chemistry. For 'The Dead Can't Lie', read as - why tell us, unless they can, therefore is this a single or double bluff? These are clues, but they could be a 'red herring'. It's a dark tale about lies within lies and whether there is any point in unraveling them. There are repeated motifs in the dialogue that are inconsistant, so it probably isnt possible to assert the truth, since each character is potentially lieing! Even the music is designed to deliberately mislead!RATEING: 7/10 as a film, but 9/10 as a brain teaser.WHO should watch this film?: Adults only, because of content. Women will enjoy the exuberantly feminine power of Madsen, whereas men will enjoy looking at it in action! Watch out for the 'Rubik's Cube', as it's a barometer of Jones' confusion and ours! If you like doing puzzles and can cope if you dont solve them, you will love & watch this film repeatedly.
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