Originally published Feb. 28, 2002
(Note: This review is an example of how completely off-base an opinion can seem a decade down the road. I haven't revisited Dragonfly since the first time I saw it, but 40 Days and 40 Nights doesn't hold up well AT ALL. I'm guessing it's because the last act depicts a rape that the flick treats as if it's the victim's fault! I don't know why my review wasn't solely devoted to discussing how wildly inappropriate that is. Instead, I said the scene was "a small disagreement with an otherwise great movie." WTF?! As you'll see in many flashback reviews to come, past-Josh could be an idiot.)
Two new movies show how Hollywood often produces material on opposite ends of the quality spectrum. The thriller Dragonfly, which opened last weekend, is extremely disappointing. The comedy 40 Days and 40 Nights, opening tomorrow, is surprisingly good. Both movies have problems, but one recovers and one does not.
Dragonfly stars Kevin Costner as Joe Darrow, a doctor who has recently lost his pregnant wife in an accident in South America. The hospital forces him to take time off, but he hangs around. He promised his wife (also a doctor) that he would check on her child patients if anything ever happened to her.
While visiting these children, Darrow meets some who have had near-death experiences. When they are brought back, they give Darrow vague messages from his wife. The children also draw pictures of the same thing, two squiggly lines that cross.
Darrow is skeptical at first but becomes more convinced as the movie goes on. Other mysterious things happen and he begins to think he is going crazy. Everyone else agrees with him. There are many twists and turns before the movie ends. Unfortunately, by that time, the audience probably doesn’t care anymore.
It can’t be said that Dragonfly doesn’t try to be a good movie. The actors do a good job and there are a couple of “jump” moments to scare the audience. The really big problem is the dialogue. The words may have sounded good on paper but in the movie they’re just cheesy. It’s painful to watch a good actor like Costner speak the forced lines.
The worst thing is that the ending is actually good. There is a neat surprise that almost makes the movie worth it, but not quite. If the rest of the movie were as good as the end, Dragonfly would actually be decent.
40 Days and 40 Nights doesn’t have that problem. It stars Josh Hartnett (from Pearl Harbor) as Matt, a guy who just lost his girlfriend. He is completely crushed even though his friends tell him he’s better off. He goes through many one-night stands but he just feels worse. He decides that for Lent, he will give up all things sexual. His friends and co-workers don’t think he can do it. They start a pool to see how long he’ll last. Of course this is a movie, so things have to get in his way to try to make him fail.
As soon as he starts, he meets Erica (Shannyn Sossamon), his dream girl. They hit it off immediately but then she finds out about Matt’s situation. She eventually agrees to be supportive of it. The other girls in his life aren’t as nice. The women he works with are all in on the bet and try, in various ways, to trip him up. As the days pass by, Matt begins to question whether he can make it.
40 Days and 40 Nights is a rare movie whose previews make it look immature instead of appealing. It is advertised as a lewd comedy much like American Pie. While there are a few gross scenes, it is much more grown-up than American Pie. That makes it better. These days, sex is used only as a punch line in a bad teen comedy. 40 Days and 40 Nights is a movie that treats it as something important to be shared between people who love each other.
The movie is well done. It knows when to be funny and when to be serious. The chemistry between the actors is evident. It seems like everyone has known each other for a while; nothing feels forced. The biggest problem occurs near the movie’s end. Without giving anything away, Matt finds out how evil his ex-girlfriend can be. However, this is a small disagreement with an otherwise great movie. It may not be Citizen Kane but it’s a lot better than Dragonfly.
Dragonfly is rated PG-13 for thematic material and mild sensuality. 40 Days and 40 Nights is rated R for strong sexual content, nudity and language.
(Note: This review is an example of how completely off-base an opinion can seem a decade down the road. I haven't revisited Dragonfly since the first time I saw it, but 40 Days and 40 Nights doesn't hold up well AT ALL. I'm guessing it's because the last act depicts a rape that the flick treats as if it's the victim's fault! I don't know why my review wasn't solely devoted to discussing how wildly inappropriate that is. Instead, I said the scene was "a small disagreement with an otherwise great movie." WTF?! As you'll see in many flashback reviews to come, past-Josh could be an idiot.)
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| Courtesy of Universal |
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| Courtesy of Miramax |
Two new movies show how Hollywood often produces material on opposite ends of the quality spectrum. The thriller Dragonfly, which opened last weekend, is extremely disappointing. The comedy 40 Days and 40 Nights, opening tomorrow, is surprisingly good. Both movies have problems, but one recovers and one does not.
Dragonfly stars Kevin Costner as Joe Darrow, a doctor who has recently lost his pregnant wife in an accident in South America. The hospital forces him to take time off, but he hangs around. He promised his wife (also a doctor) that he would check on her child patients if anything ever happened to her.
While visiting these children, Darrow meets some who have had near-death experiences. When they are brought back, they give Darrow vague messages from his wife. The children also draw pictures of the same thing, two squiggly lines that cross.
Darrow is skeptical at first but becomes more convinced as the movie goes on. Other mysterious things happen and he begins to think he is going crazy. Everyone else agrees with him. There are many twists and turns before the movie ends. Unfortunately, by that time, the audience probably doesn’t care anymore.
It can’t be said that Dragonfly doesn’t try to be a good movie. The actors do a good job and there are a couple of “jump” moments to scare the audience. The really big problem is the dialogue. The words may have sounded good on paper but in the movie they’re just cheesy. It’s painful to watch a good actor like Costner speak the forced lines.
The worst thing is that the ending is actually good. There is a neat surprise that almost makes the movie worth it, but not quite. If the rest of the movie were as good as the end, Dragonfly would actually be decent.
40 Days and 40 Nights doesn’t have that problem. It stars Josh Hartnett (from Pearl Harbor) as Matt, a guy who just lost his girlfriend. He is completely crushed even though his friends tell him he’s better off. He goes through many one-night stands but he just feels worse. He decides that for Lent, he will give up all things sexual. His friends and co-workers don’t think he can do it. They start a pool to see how long he’ll last. Of course this is a movie, so things have to get in his way to try to make him fail.
As soon as he starts, he meets Erica (Shannyn Sossamon), his dream girl. They hit it off immediately but then she finds out about Matt’s situation. She eventually agrees to be supportive of it. The other girls in his life aren’t as nice. The women he works with are all in on the bet and try, in various ways, to trip him up. As the days pass by, Matt begins to question whether he can make it.
40 Days and 40 Nights is a rare movie whose previews make it look immature instead of appealing. It is advertised as a lewd comedy much like American Pie. While there are a few gross scenes, it is much more grown-up than American Pie. That makes it better. These days, sex is used only as a punch line in a bad teen comedy. 40 Days and 40 Nights is a movie that treats it as something important to be shared between people who love each other.
The movie is well done. It knows when to be funny and when to be serious. The chemistry between the actors is evident. It seems like everyone has known each other for a while; nothing feels forced. The biggest problem occurs near the movie’s end. Without giving anything away, Matt finds out how evil his ex-girlfriend can be. However, this is a small disagreement with an otherwise great movie. It may not be Citizen Kane but it’s a lot better than Dragonfly.
Dragonfly is rated PG-13 for thematic material and mild sensuality. 40 Days and 40 Nights is rated R for strong sexual content, nudity and language.
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