tracynorman

Confession: until I watched this documentary, I had never heard of and obviously therefore, never read, any of Joan Didion's novels. So what attracted me to watch this when it was suggested to me on Netflix? Well, the era that it covered, the fact that it said she is a literary icon, and the fact that she is Griffin Dunne's aunt and that he directed it (big fan of Griffin Dunne). The style, grace and beauty of the subject also intrigued me. Having finished watching it, I then watched the trailer here on IMDB and I am so glad that I didn't see the trailer first as it gives everything away and, even though you might guess at a few things along the way, it would most definitely have lessened my enjoyment of the story unfolding at the pace that the director/writer/producer would have liked me to.

This is a beautifully crafted piece of work. It has a gentleness and fragility about it that makes you want to whisper for the rest of the day. It was such a delight to be able to really focus on this film without the sensationalised over the top music screaming at me in short bursts, that is so prevalent now in programming. Thank you so much Griffin Dunne.

The trailer put me right off this movie and I had no desire to see it but was outvoted by my kids. Thank goodness! Consequently, with my expectations fairly low, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. It was so much better than I expected. Will delivers as always (and contrary to other opinions on these pages, I believe we have yet to see his full capabilities as an actor). The robot (who I hated in the trailer), is very lovable and believable. The storyline is very good and not without it's moral messages.

I had no problem with the product placements (being a fan of Audi and Converse!). For pure fantasy, escapism and surrealism - it's a must see! Enjoy!

Superb performances of all players without exception, but of course special mention has to go to Pacino who gives one of the best performances of his career. If you are interested in joining the legal profession (as I was), this is a must-see. Pacino is an over-worked, successful defence lawyer, juggling his heavy caseload. When a judge, whom he is publicly known to hate, is charged with Rape, Pacino is asked to defend him. Although this is the premise for the film, it is so beautifully entwined with many different, rich characters and a multitude of cases, it's almost unfair to even pinpoint the main thread. A perfect blend of tragedy, comedy and drama, I would rank this film in my all-time top 10.