Redbelt

[bleacheddecay]

Wow. This movie was so strange and stupid. It doesn't depict Brazilian Jujitsu in any realistic way.

The dialog not only sucks, it's frustrating and puzzling.

It must be a foreign film. Perhaps it would make more sense to another country's people and customs?

It has a couple of American stars in it. I'm not sure how or why they got attached to this project.

Did anyone else see it? If so, did you like it?

[Holden Pike]

Wow, I didn't find it strange or stupid. I liked it. A lot, actually. Of course I wouldn't know Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from a Moluccan Cockatoo, but I must confess that's not what I was watching the movie for.

http://auteurs.s3.amazonaws.com/notebook/Tribeca/redbelt.jpg

I found Redbelt to be David Mamet's best movie in many years. I was fearful it was going to be too Karate Kidish. I should have had more faith in David Mamet than that, but both Spartan and Heist had been such disappointments that I didn't give Redbelt a chance in the theater. Now I wish I had. In its way and despite the martial arts it's very much akin to his earlier films House of Games and The Spanish Prisoner. I love Chiwetel Ejiofor and thought he did a good job. Whether he effectively mastered the Jiu-Jitsu for the camera, I couldn't say. But I was involved with his character. The Mamet regulars in small roles like Joe Mantegna, David Paymer and Ricky Jay were good to see, as always, and I adore Emily Mortimer.

As for the dialogue, Mametspeak is very stylized, it's true, and it's either one of those things you grow to love or you just flat-out hate it. We obviously know which side of that line you're on at this point. Rent Glengarry Glen Ross (1992) sometime, see if you can get into its unique rhythms while not being distracted by improper Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Or don't.


Oh, and Redbelt is an American movie. Mamet is an American. Actually a Chicagoan, and really he's a country unto himself.

[bleacheddecay]

Thanks for your thoughts Holden!

I really like hearing from folks who liked what I didn't so I can figure out what anyone would see in such a film. So often people won't bother to tell you if you disagree.

I liked the lead too. His mastery or lack, of Brazilian Jujitsu wasn't the problem I had. It was the false way the whole movie presented it. I don't mean that things were fixed and all. I mean it wasn't true at any point to what the discipline is, IMO.

I didn't like the dialog that's true. I didn't enjoy this brand of stylization at all.

I like Joe Mantegna a great deal. This film didn't give him much of a vehicle for his talent.

I think I tried to watch Glengarry Glen Ross and couldn't get into it.

Each to their own.

[Dark Night Shyamalan]

2 Words. David Mamet. It's bizarre that playwrights can so brazenly make the jump from the stage to the screen, while you rarely, if ever, see a screenwriter make the jump to the stage. I think playwrights need to understand film is an entirely different medium, and adapt their story-telling accordingly.

[bleacheddecay]

I wouldn't have thought this made for a good, (enjoyable for me), play either but I certainly understand your point.

[Yoda]

Saw this just about a week ago. Pretty good, but I didn't love it by any stretch of the imagination. Ebert summed up my thoughts pretty well when he said it laid all the pieces of a great movie out on the floor, and never quite finished assembling them.

Still, it held my attention and interest up until the very end, so it deserves an above-average mark on the strength of that alone.

I wish I could be more specific, but I really don't know what else to say about it. Maybe I just need some coffee.

[Ðèstîñy]

First off, I love the cast, and the trailer I chose looks very promising. I'll check into getting this on DVD. I believe I'll like it. It doesn't hurt that I'm a huge Martial Arts fan.

Redbelt (http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1350762777/)

[bleacheddecay]

Okay, this is how I saw the storyline and SPOILER ALERT!!! Don't read any further if you haven't seen the film and think you might want to.










Great martial arts person has a dojo but isn't making money.

His hot wife has her own business and isn't making money. She is perpetually pissed. She tells him to go to her brother and ask for a loan. Why she doesn't go ask her own brother I'm not sure.

The top student is a cop.

The sensei uses a gimmick to simulate possible injuries and make things more interesting? He got the idea from an ancient poster or text.

The top student gets done training. Unzips his gun case, takes off the trigger lock, then leaves the loaded gun on a surface.

Some disturbed lady comes in, grabs the gun and nearly shoots the cop. WTH???

Oops! That didn't happen says the cop. Huh?

Sensei talks with cop's wife. He isn't working. Why?

Sensei goes to BIL's bar, bartender tells him the cop stopped working as a bouncer there because he wasn't getting paid.

Big action movie star almost gets cut in a bar fight. Sensei stops that.

Big movies star sends invite to dinner and an expensive watch.

Sensei gives black belt and watch to cop because he feels bad his BIL didn't pay him?

It's turns out the watch is stolen, cop get suspended for having stolen property he is trying to pawn. (Side note, why pawn if it's worth something? You can get much more money for it through selling it outright or to a mainstream shop. Pawning is something you do when you think you might want the thing back or you are in a hurry and can accept getting much less for it.)

Meanwhile for some reason, some rich folks (including the action movie star) have conspired to force the sensei to fight in a ring and to steal his training idea.

Why do they want him to fight so much? Why is he important enough to ruin his life? Is this just for fun?

When sensei threatens to sue, they threaten the cop and his lawyer, the lady who almost shot the cop.

Lady decides to train and confides she's been raped. That's why when someone touches her, she grabs the nearest gun (and there is always one loaded and ready in the Dojo, huh?).

As she talks about being grabbed from behind, sensei knows the perfect therapy. He grabs her from behind. Then fake stabs her with a rubber knife. That would cure anyone, right?

"Now do this and that," he says. She does. She gets behind him.

"Stab me!" He says. She does. Wow! She is all better! (I must say the fake rubber knife stabbing did look fun.)

The cops kills himself because of ? I'm not sure. His own disgrace? Disgrace he brought to the dojo? (Hello, this isn't Japan.) The fact that he left his gun out for anyone to get and try to shoot him with? IDK.

Okay, so, after trusting the rich dudes, sensei and his wife are in mucho money problems. He decides to do the one thing he never wanted to do, fight in a competition ring. Apparently, it's not what the sport is about. It's not authentic. I guess bar fights are.

Incidentally, any twink, IRL, thinks parking lot or bar fights (if they are old enough to get into a bar) is what is "real." They don't typically do well in martial arts unless they let go of that mindset or puke it out of them, but whatever.

Our guy is getting ready for the fight, while raped lawyer woman drinks.

We heard his fight announced. Somehow he is a champion even though he has refused to fight in competitions? HUH?

He puts up with knowing his training idea has been stolen and is being used but when he figures out the fight is fixed (what a surprise, this is business, DOH! ) he quits the whole thing.

Walking out he finds raped lawyer lady in the parking garage or something. They stand on opposite sides of a barrier having a conversation we can't hear. It ends with her slapping him and him going back into the arena.

He finds out his wife betrayed him.

He starts a fight with one of the fighters in the tunnel that leads to the ring. After he wins, still in the tunnel and NOT in the ring, he gets a 250K belt and a red belt. "There is only one red belt." Mmm, okaaaay.

He decides he and raped lawyer woman are a perfect fit and the credits roll.

Um, what?

[The Prestige]

I saw these a few weeks ago in all. I thought it was quite good myself. Chewy Elijifor is always watchable and you had a director with a strong background. Add the fact that i'm a Mixed Martial Arts fan and you've got a interested spectator.

The fight scene at the end was a bit dull, even if it wasn't mean to be spectacular in any way. But it's really well written with a surprisingly good turn by, erm, Tim Allen. :eek:

[bleacheddecay]

LOL! I know! What was he doing in there at all. *chuckle*

[Loner]

Like bleacheddecay said.

Chaotic piece of crap.


I am a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu blue belt.

I got to spar Jean Jacques Machado.

He is absolutely amazing!

I've sparred other black belts, but he was like wrestling with an empty jacket.

I couldn't feel him in front of me until I got armbarred.

What makes him more impressive is that one of his hands is deformed.

[bleacheddecay]

Wow! You got to spar with him? Cool!

[Loner]

Wow! You got to spar with him? Cool!

I've also rolled with MMA veteran Ivan Salaverry several times.

Very fast and violent.

[bleacheddecay]

Sounds like you have connections. That's cool!

[Ðèstîñy]

This is already for sale for $4.75 + $2.98 shipping. I know one of the gifts I'm having my sister get me for Christmas!

[a.lam92]

i liked this movie alot