857. Short Cuts

Short Cuts
1993
Directed by Robert Altman

Roger Ebert said that no good movie is too long and no bad movie is too short.  I shudder to disagree with my lord and master, but this was a good movie that was just too long.

The film follows the stories of 22 different characters in Los Angeles.  I won't list a description of everyone in the movie, unless someone wants to pay me for some delightful reasons.  The most compelling storyline was Howard and Ann Finnigan's, whose young son Casey is hit by a car by a depressed waitress.  Casey's doctor is the long suffering husband of an untalented artist, who is friends with the long suffering (and now amused) wife of a cheating husband.  The dullest storyline is probably Lori Singer's, who plays a depressed cellist who is generally ignored by her obnoxious mother.

So three hours and some change is a bit long for any film.  It is odd, because after 188 minutes, it still manages to end abruptly.  Jerry's actions are a bit baffling at the end of the film.  Obviously, he had his problems, but compared to the other characters, his life was pretty great.  Maybe that was the point.  It is the weakest among us that snap, not the most troubled.

Still, it is ultimately worth the time, just to see the great performances.  I was particularly delighted with Robert Downey Jr.  Nineties Robert Altman was on point.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

Jennifer Jason Leigh spent time in actual phone sex offices to research her role.  All of her calls were verbatim what she heard.