BuzzSugar

Flawless: Dressed for Success but Ultimately Forgettable

BuzzSugar — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 09:30:46 -0700

Directed by Il Postino's Michael Radford, Flawless has all the elements of a slick, old-timey heist movie, including lots of neato early-1960s costumes. However, though I was enamored with shots of Demi Moore's gorgeous charcoal-colored suits against a backdrop of crisp menswear, the film totally drops the ball in terms of developing tension around this old-fashioned diamond heist.

Flawless opens in a modern-day cafe where a young female journalist is interviewing an elderly woman (Demi Moore in old-person make-up) named Laura Quinn. Quinn describes a 1960s London where the young Quinn (Moore) is the lone businesswoman at the fictional London Diamond Co. As you'd expect, an educated, unmarried, ambitious woman at this time is not exactly a welcome addition to the team, and we quickly understand that this character is an outsider. We're then introduced to someone else on the outside looking in: Mr. Hobbs (Michael Caine), the company janitor who sees Quinn as a potential accomplice to stealing the company's diamonds.

To read where I think this good-looking film falls short, read more

For Quinn, being the lone female in this boys' club means being passed over for promotions and getting hit on by married men on a constant basis, and to make matters worse, she soon finds out that she's probably going to get fired. So, she's none too pleased with the London Diamond Co. Hobbes, too, has his motives for taking the company down, though they're not entirely clear which lends the plot a little mystery. Therefore, the "how" they take the diamonds isn't very exciting and the film is far more concerned with the "why."

The problem is, nothing is unraveled in a way that would lend adequate suspense to the plot. Also, there's a social conscience to the film (focusing on both global issues and women in the workplace), but it's so awkwardly woven into the story, it's hard to feel anything about these issues. For example, protest signs show up early on, indicating that the London Diamond Co. is a shady company that may deal in the blood diamond trade, but this is never really explored.

The bright spots in the film for me were charming moments from the talented Caine, and the icy-cool feel of the film. Everything from the click-clacks of Quinn's heels on the marble floor of the corporation to observing the tidy way people smoked back then is captivating to watch. In the end, though, all the predictable plot lines wrap themselves up neatly and we're asked to endure an ending so blunt in its message, it could be mistaken for a UNICEF commercial. The clumsy handling of social issues combined with a complete lack of interest around the heist itself makes the whole experience forgettable.

In fact, knowing what the filmmakers were attempting to pull off here made me realize that Spike Lee already did so, and brilliantly in Inside Man. If you're looking for a heist film with a heart, you should check out that movie instead.

Photos courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

Movie Preview: Demi Moore and Michael Caine in Flawless

BuzzSugar — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 10:31:09 -0800

Take a few notes from Mad Men and some hints from Ocean's Eleven, add Demi Moore and Michael Caine as the lead duo and you've got Flawless, a diamond heist film with an unlikely pair of criminals.

Set in 1960 London, the story follows the longtime janitor at the London Diamond Corporation (Caine) who, despite nearing retirement, decides to steal some diamonds from his employer. The person he goes to for help? A matronly Demi Moore, playing an American executive at the company who, as one of the few females, has repeatedly been passed up for promotions in favor of younger male employees. Though it's risky, she agrees to help the janitor with his heist.

Supposedly, it's a drama but the trailer makes it seem like a quirky heist comedy. I'm curious about this one, and I look forward to catching it in theaters when it opens March 28. You can check out the trailer and tell me what you think if you read more.

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Desperate Housewives Rundown, "Never Judge a Lady by Her Lover"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:30:08 -0700

Is it just me, or do the housewives seem even more desperate than usual this week? Susan takes some drastic measures to scare Danny away, which in turns sets Angie off with a few crazy antics of her own. Meanwhile, Bree's jealousy sends an innocent woman to the hospital and Lynette makes Tom look like a fool to cover up her pregnancy at a company dinner.

Jesse Metcalfe also makes his (triumphant?) return and Katherine is pretty much nowhere to be found. Ready to hash it all out? Just read more.

Gaby - Just when you thought it was safe to go back to Wisteria Lane, Jesse Metcalfe is back. Again. Both Gaby and Carlos are taken by surprise to see John at one of their restaurants of choice, especially when they learn that he's the owner. Naturally John is immediately making eyes at both Gaby and Ana, and I think we all know where this one is heading. Gaby later convinces Carlos that she doesn't have feelings for her former gardener anymore, but then she gets all nostalgic looking at photos of him. (I love that they had time to head to a photo booth during their affair - isn't the mall a little high profile for that?) One thing that really bothers me about Gaby this week is that suddenly she's all frumpy again, when she's been pretty much flawless since she and Carlos were back to being rich.

Susan - We don't get any updates on Julie's progress this week, but it's clear that her condition is taking a serious toll on Susan. Susan wastes no time spreading the word about Danny to all her neighbors, even when Mike gently reminds her that Danny hasn't been convicted yet. This leads Susan to start her own investigation for proof - which seems like a perfect opportunity for one of Susan's klutzy, over-the-top schemes, but instead takes a very dark turn when she basically tries to kill Danny herself by squishing him under a car. I give Susan a free pass for her antics this week since in the end she reaches out to Angie and starts to make amends when Danny's alibi comes through.

Angie - Angie's mama bear side really comes to the light this week. She's pretty scary trying to scare off prank calls, and even more threatening when she comes at Susan wielding a baseball bat. There are a few allusions to the Bolens' previous life (like that they change their name constantly and had to raise Danny "on the run"), but in the end Angie seems more like a protective mom with a secret than an evil person. Her husband on the other hand. . .

Bree - Despite her requests for pain au chocolat in lieu of a burrito, Bree begins to realize just how much she actually likes slummin' it with Carl. When she tells him that she's not looking for anything serious, Carl totally plays her by bringing a date to a function Bree is attending with Orson. In a matter of minutes Bree's all green-eyed about the idea of Carl taking someone else to their beloved motor lodge, and eliminates the other woman - literally. Meanwhile, Orson thinks he's making major strides and that Bree was jealous of the other woman for dancing with Orson. Though Katherine isn't around this week, I still think the whole thing will be smoothed over once she and Orson get together.

Lynette - The Scavos get to be the comic relief this week, which is refreshing after all the doom and gloom that was previously surrounding Lynette's pregnancy. The reactions she gets from her kids are priceless, particularly Porter's little speech about how she and Tom were irresponsible about birth control and are "destroying their futures." (I kinda agree about the birth control thing - may I suggest something permanent, like a vasectomy?). Right on cue, Lynette's career path is tested when Carlos admits he wants to give her a promotion after passing on another co-worker who is pregnant. Tom helps cover for her, but we all know she won't be able to hide twins for very long.

So what did you think of the episode? Are you happy to see Jesse Metcalfe again? How long until Gaby and Ana are vying for his attention?

Want more of the latest on Desperate Housewives? Check out the Entertainment Group in the Buzz community!