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Deathtrap -
This is a funny and witty thriller with more twists than fusilli that proves that nothing is more dangerous than repeated failure. Does having a string of flops make one psychotic? Sidney Bruhl (Caine) and Max Bialystock from The Producers must mean it does, but what's important is that the movie provides a satisfying insider's perspective into its impact beyond the box office. Caine succeeds at making Bruhl's resulting desperation, misery and bloodlust from his continued lack of a hit palpable, as does Dyan Cannon's anxiety-ridden wife for how she indicates the consequences of standing by such a man. The revelation here, though - at least for me since I've only seen him in Superman - is Reeve's aspiring playwright and would-be Bruhl protege. He's so good at making you wonder if he's the learner or the master, not to mention at providing many laughs in the process. Again, "twist" is the name of the game here, and I don't mean the Shyamalan variety. They're constant yet never tiresome, and as soon as I thought I could predict the next one, I was proven wrong.
If my review seems vague and incomplete so far, it's mostly because I don't want to spoil anything. I'll at least add without hopefully doing so that "meta" is thrown around so much lately that the word has nearly lost all meaning, but in this case, the descriptor fits and then some. Now that I've surely infuriated you with all these vagaries, I'll conclude by saying that the movie thrills, chills and made me laugh many times, which says a lot considering it mostly consists of three people in a room. Oh, and the movie earns points for being daring for its era, but once again, I won't reveal in what way.
This is a funny and witty thriller with more twists than fusilli that proves that nothing is more dangerous than repeated failure. Does having a string of flops make one psychotic? Sidney Bruhl (Caine) and Max Bialystock from The Producers must mean it does, but what's important is that the movie provides a satisfying insider's perspective into its impact beyond the box office. Caine succeeds at making Bruhl's resulting desperation, misery and bloodlust from his continued lack of a hit palpable, as does Dyan Cannon's anxiety-ridden wife for how she indicates the consequences of standing by such a man. The revelation here, though - at least for me since I've only seen him in Superman - is Reeve's aspiring playwright and would-be Bruhl protege. He's so good at making you wonder if he's the learner or the master, not to mention at providing many laughs in the process. Again, "twist" is the name of the game here, and I don't mean the Shyamalan variety. They're constant yet never tiresome, and as soon as I thought I could predict the next one, I was proven wrong.
If my review seems vague and incomplete so far, it's mostly because I don't want to spoil anything. I'll at least add without hopefully doing so that "meta" is thrown around so much lately that the word has nearly lost all meaning, but in this case, the descriptor fits and then some. Now that I've surely infuriated you with all these vagaries, I'll conclude by saying that the movie thrills, chills and made me laugh many times, which says a lot considering it mostly consists of three people in a room. Oh, and the movie earns points for being daring for its era, but once again, I won't reveal in what way.