jordandw

Like X-Files, I thought Millennium was best when it strayed from the "conspiracy" episodes (while they never turned me off, I just found them way too overbearing and self-important) and just developed characters and story in a single episode. For that reason, IMO, this was the best Millennium episode of all. I suppose it works well because we know Frank Black and can relate to his obsession with a mystery and the macabre (which requires a knowledgeable viewer), but given that background, this episode was a visionary and fantastic excursion into the kind of obsession we all struggle with to one extent or another -- plus it had the added bonus of mostly taking place in a remote northern wilderness that only added to dissonant juxtaposition of an impersonal and unforgiving natural beauty against an intensely personal struggle of a man against the world. Great script, great acting, great episode. I remember it well ten years later -- good enough that I'm tempted to buy the complete series just to be able to view this one episode again.

I saw that this film was ranked #249 out of 250 on the IMDb all-time list, and felt compelled to add a 10 vote to keep it on the list. This is a very troubling and difficult film to watch (a la Requiem for a Dream) but, like that film (also excellent), it is the riveting characterizations of the lead actors that just sends the film over the threshold of greatness. I can never think of Naomi Watts and Benicio del Toro again without remembering their outstanding jobs in this film. Melissa Leo, a lesser role, but a great contribution also. And as much as I grapple with the question of how good Sean Penn is an an actor, he forces a nod here in a tremendous job of acting that, I believe, overshadows his role in Mystic River that year that landed him the Oscar. This is the better acting job. Small time hood with violence near the top of his repertoire is not that much of a stretch for him, but terminally ill math professor for whom violence is unwelcome but seemingly made inevitable by the onslaught of life's turns (Straw Dogs, anyone?) certainly is. Difficult subject matter, masterfully done, and with a tremendous line-up of acting talents that carry it off memorably.