The Year of Living Dangerously

As I watched this, I was thinking "this guy playing Billy Kwan is really good". When I found out who it was... MIND BLOWN. Not just a terrific performance, but a fantastic make-up job as well. Beyond that, the movie is solid but not too memorable. It's a shame that Weir moved away from enigmatic pieces to rather formulaic Hollywood-style productions. There's nothing wrong with movie... it's an interesting enough scenario that's fairly well-written. It just doesn't stick to your ribs at all.

Not bad. It is trying to make some serious commentary on Indonesia's social and political state, but doesn't go too deep or hard into it and Kwan's dialogue on it comes across as quite preachy. The romance story is also very underdeveloped and seems very shoe-horned in, despite Weaver doing an okay job. A well done film, yet still unmemorable.

Ok but I was a bit disappointed, it didn't really get beneath what was happening in the country, and became more of a Hollywood romance between 2 outsiders who ultimately get out and leave the locals to their fate.

Technically proficient with a standout performance from Hunt, but while very engaging as it plays out, my feeling coming out was that it never got deep into any of the issues it touches.

The Billy Kwan character is the heart of the film. His passion for the world of the unseen (both the spiritual world and the world of the poor, unseen by the eyes of the elite) offers a strong counterpoint to the respected journalists covering a contentious political situation. Weir develops the "sight" metaphor nicely, if not a bit obviously. This is a film that has its heart in the right place in pointing toward transcendence. Indeed, in the words of the film, "the puppet master is a priest."

Thematically messy, and fragmentary editing clouds the story, though it does mostly save it from sluggishness. When the film leaves Billy it loses its center, and I wish it would acknowledge that he really is the main character. But it transcends its flaws to be a near-great picture, thanks to an outstanding sense of place and Hunt's pitch-perfect performance as Billy. Weaver, accent aside, hits the right note of maddening opacity, and it's nice to see Gibson at his pre-crazy, charismatic best.

It does try to suggest that Gibson learns an important lesson, but to the extent that it's true, it has nothing to do with the political situation. He basically just learns that you sometimes need to put personal relationships above your job. The real conscience of the film is Hunt's character. Her performance is extraordinary, and she dominates the film in many ways, but her awakening is treated as sideline to the romance.

Stupid politics/ kinda orientalist. She really said that if PKI gets the power, it shall kill all the Westerners. Haha. You stupids. Yet, it is nice to see Gibson & Weaver in their most beautiful younger days.

It takes a bit to get going but once it does, The Year of Living Dangerously is an intriguing blend of socio-political turmoil, high-stakes media commentary, and decently executed romance. There are better Ozplotation films but this is very solid.

Decently gripping account of a tumultuous time in Southeast Asia as a Cold War proxy. While the movie seems to argue against journalistic fluff pieces, it unfortunately starts to drift that way as we get a pretty contrived romance as an overlay; additionally, all the characters seem to have simple right/wrong ethics.

Engrossing look at political turmoil in Indonesia through foreign eyes. Hunt's storyline is by far the most interesting, so I felt a little disappointed it was somewhat sidelined by the more conventional Gibson/Weaver romance, although this was probably a pragmatic commercial decision by Weir. Some good editing too.

79.000

Engrossing, well made film along the lines of Hotel Rwanda and Last King of Scotland, with the same looming sense of doom. Whilst Gibson and Weaver do a competent job the real power of this film comes from the quiet emotional intensity of Asian supporting actors. Linda Hunt is amazing and Kwans all seeing, all knowing, all feeling performance is just outstanding. The "all westerners are blind (and unpleasant)" was a bit overplayed and the story a little superficial, but still gripping stuff.

Gibson's character Guy Hamilton has one bad ass name, but bad ass this film is not. I wasn't particularly impressed with the whole romance and drama aspects of this movie, if Weir would have only left in the war/thriller aspect this might have been good. Interestingly enough, even though Linda Hunt played a man in this movie (and got an Oscar for it) she really wasn't that good, even if it was oddly intriguing.

77.875

Good performances from the cast, but I feel like there are a lot of movies similar to this. Still, it's well-made and tense at times.

#874

The film is serious and stolid, effective in its dogged commitment to the story, but lacking some drive. Hunt won an Academy Award for her portrayal of male character Billy Kwan. Oscar voters may have been enamored with the trick shot nature of the performance, but it's greatly affecting work by any criteria as Hunt plays out the conflicting nature of a man as a reflection of an upended society.

Lovers in a dangerous moment of reflection.

Okay Movie

So much more than what it looks like: another competent but forgettable political thriller set in a third-world country with a couple big names and one piece of Oscar-bait stunt casting. Not so. Weir's gift for subtle mood-setting immerses us in his world. The film's heart is Billy Kwan, played movingly and honestly by Linda Hunt, who, stunt casting aside, deserved the Oscar she won. The scenes between Gibson and Weaver meander, but overall this is a taut, engrossing film and a near-masterpiece.

Linda Hunt.

848

What then must we do? Has some incredible moments of insight before it slips into the first of Weir's commercial snafus. The emotional core remains even with its off moments. An awesome cast.

876

rewatch

There's not enough Indonesia in here, but enough to bring it all to life.

I haven't seen this since it's release, or soon after... My recollections are strictly visceral at this point... A movie I would be interested to watch again...

As usual, Weir does an expert job of analyzing the culture within the setting of the film. Unfortunately the mirage of Linda Hunt as a little man was thinly veiled for me, and the pace was rarely consistent. Ultimately it's a decent criticism of totalitarianism.

This shouldn't work so brilliantly, but it does. And I love Billy Kwan. "What then must we do?"

Good film.

A fine and interesting film.