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Mona Lisa
The late Bob Hoskins, an actor who rarely, if ever, made a false move onscreen, received the only Oscar nomination of his esteemed career for his performance in 1986's Mona Lisa, a gritty and unapologetic love story set on a disturbingly original canvas that doesn't spoon feed the viewer and allows us our own insights on exactly what might be going on here.
The setting is London's lower West End where we meet George (Hoskins), a man who has just been released from prison after seven years who, after an unpleasant reunion with his ex-wife and daughter, goes to the underworld figure who had a hand in his going to prison for help in securing employment. George is less than thrilled when the only job he is offered is working as a chauffeur to a high class call girl, who seems just as unenthused about his hiring as he is, but as his attraction to her becomes apparent, she decides to use it in order to help her locate someone from her not so recent past.
Neil Jordan, who would win an original screenplay Oscar for The Crying Game, is the director and co-screenwriter of this edgy and unconventional love story that establishes its credentials in an original and efficient manner. Of course, we have a story set across the pond, but we're placed in London's red light district, a canvas that provides an eye opening look at a subculture that hasn't been explored in a lot of British films. Jordan also forces his central character back into this frightening world with the frightening and heartbreaking fight he has with his ex and daughter and we are relieved when it appears that his daughter still wants a relationship with him, but once George begins his new job with Simone the call girl, we seriously wonder if these two can ever be a real father and daughter again.
Jordan and co-screenwriter David Leland also do a nice job in establishing a three-dimensional character in this call girl, Simone, who is far from the accustomed cinematic hooker with a heart of gold. It is made clear from the beginning that this girl is the property of someone with a whole lot of power and money who has plucked her off the streets where she was just another hooker and has taught her how to be someone in her profession who is possibly unattainable but worth the money. Love when she makes it clear to George that he is going to have to clean up his act if he's going to work for her and she actually gives him money to buy clothes, sort of a role reversal Henry Higgins/Eliza Doolittle thing.
The story gets hopelessly complicated though when finding the girl for Simone puts George into all sorts of danger without realizing for a good chunk of the running time who is behind all of the danger he is in. The viewer must accept the fact that George is willing to walk through fire for Simone, who is definitely using the man, but George doesn't realize it or doesn't care.
Hoskins' Oscar-nominated performance is an acting class all in itself and the chemistry he creates with Cathy Tyson (whatever happened to her?) is inexplicable and anchors this uncomfortable story. Also loved Michael Caine, playing a character who morphs into the most evil character Caine has ever played A cinematic love story that almost gets mangled beyond recognition and doesn't promise a happy ending.
The late Bob Hoskins, an actor who rarely, if ever, made a false move onscreen, received the only Oscar nomination of his esteemed career for his performance in 1986's Mona Lisa, a gritty and unapologetic love story set on a disturbingly original canvas that doesn't spoon feed the viewer and allows us our own insights on exactly what might be going on here.
The setting is London's lower West End where we meet George (Hoskins), a man who has just been released from prison after seven years who, after an unpleasant reunion with his ex-wife and daughter, goes to the underworld figure who had a hand in his going to prison for help in securing employment. George is less than thrilled when the only job he is offered is working as a chauffeur to a high class call girl, who seems just as unenthused about his hiring as he is, but as his attraction to her becomes apparent, she decides to use it in order to help her locate someone from her not so recent past.
Neil Jordan, who would win an original screenplay Oscar for The Crying Game, is the director and co-screenwriter of this edgy and unconventional love story that establishes its credentials in an original and efficient manner. Of course, we have a story set across the pond, but we're placed in London's red light district, a canvas that provides an eye opening look at a subculture that hasn't been explored in a lot of British films. Jordan also forces his central character back into this frightening world with the frightening and heartbreaking fight he has with his ex and daughter and we are relieved when it appears that his daughter still wants a relationship with him, but once George begins his new job with Simone the call girl, we seriously wonder if these two can ever be a real father and daughter again.
Jordan and co-screenwriter David Leland also do a nice job in establishing a three-dimensional character in this call girl, Simone, who is far from the accustomed cinematic hooker with a heart of gold. It is made clear from the beginning that this girl is the property of someone with a whole lot of power and money who has plucked her off the streets where she was just another hooker and has taught her how to be someone in her profession who is possibly unattainable but worth the money. Love when she makes it clear to George that he is going to have to clean up his act if he's going to work for her and she actually gives him money to buy clothes, sort of a role reversal Henry Higgins/Eliza Doolittle thing.
The story gets hopelessly complicated though when finding the girl for Simone puts George into all sorts of danger without realizing for a good chunk of the running time who is behind all of the danger he is in. The viewer must accept the fact that George is willing to walk through fire for Simone, who is definitely using the man, but George doesn't realize it or doesn't care.
Hoskins' Oscar-nominated performance is an acting class all in itself and the chemistry he creates with Cathy Tyson (whatever happened to her?) is inexplicable and anchors this uncomfortable story. Also loved Michael Caine, playing a character who morphs into the most evil character Caine has ever played A cinematic love story that almost gets mangled beyond recognition and doesn't promise a happy ending.