Redbelt

[Amazon Link]
(paid link)
[4.0
stars] [IMDb Link]

A few days back, I dumped on Definitely, Maybe for its "No person would actually ever say this" dialog. It would be kind of easy to point that finger at David Mamet too. Were I a professional film reviewer, I would worry about this obvious inconsistency. Since I am not a professional film reviewer, I explain it thus: Mamet is great, and Definitely, Maybe was very very bad. Redbelt was written and directed by Mamet, and it's really, really good. Although perhaps not a chick flick.

Redbelt stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as Mike Terry, who runs a small martial arts studio in LA. Principles and philosophy prevent him from entering the lucrative pro fighting circuit, so he's perpetually on the edge of financial ruin, and also perpetually nagged by his wife. This is all indicated with great precision and economy. One night, a strung-out lady lawyer (Emily Mortimer) wanders in, a gun goes off, an expensive window shatters. Mike heads to a local bar to hit up a sleazy relative for a loan; there, he defends a self-loathing action movie star (played by, of all people, Tim Allen) in a brawl. This draws Mike and his wife into the glitzy world of easy-money showbiz.

You would not believe the amount of trouble that causes.

The movie also features a host of regular Mamet actors, e.g. Ricky Jay, Joe Mantegna, Rebecca Pidgeon. (Also, it turns out: Al Bundy himself, Ed O'Neill, and Jennifer Grey. Totally did not recognize them.)

In the DVD extras Mamet compares Chiwetel Ejiofor's acting style to Henry Fonda's. Fine, although I would not have to cut-n-paste "Henry Fonda" from IMDB to make sure I was spelling it right.

There's a massive spoiler on (of all places) the front of the DVD box. Don't look at it if you plan to see the movie. (Too late? Sorry.) Also check out Shawn Macomber's review of Redbelt in American Spectator, which caused me to bump it up to the top of my Blockbuster queue.


Last Modified 2024-02-01 5:20 AM EDT