Change Your Image
abudden-58522
Reviews
Kin (2021)
Halfway through S1 - thoughts so far
Really enjoying it and a gem of a find. There are some holes in the plot logic though and some of the dialogue doesn't flow naturally sometimes. There are too many Dublin city cut scenes which irk (yes I know it's in Dublin FFS) but all in all these are minor. Some things that don't quite make sense ...1. Eamon wants the Kinsella's dead. Instead of going into hiding, they are all holed up in their main addresses. Ok there's a single police car outside but if Eamon has as many men as lead to believe, he knows where to find them 2. Frank positions himself as the voice of reason over the first few episodes. The suddenly without any of his previous doubts, gleefully goes along with stealing 50m worth of drugs from Eamon. Again, I guess at this stage he has nothing to lose but instead of planning his families disappearence after the heist, they are all snorting coke and partying in Jimmy's house ........just doesn't seem consistent with the fostering of Frank's character as the eise old head.
Rise of the Footsoldier: Vengeance (2023)
A muted Pat Tate
A change of tone from the others with Tate seemingly more thoughtful and even empathetic at times. It's not why I watch ROTFS. A slower pace, slower dialogue and yes, there is violence but the whole film just seemed a little muted. Set in the early 90s, I also didn't understand some of the references to Tate as being past it ("the old boys club is tomorrow" etc). In all, OK - its not a bad film but I prefer the brooding menacing psychopath Tate of previous films. Looks like it is set up for a sequel but I think the series is running out of steam. The rental was reduced by 75% when I streamed this and glad I didn't pay full price for it.
La paranza dei bambini (2019)
Never gets going
One caveat - I'm sure this film would've been far better if I spoke Italian. That's on me. With English subtitles the dialogue is pedestrian and not quite how you'd expect young gang members to talk to each other. A few issues - one is how easily a gang of 15 year old displaces the existing gang of adults who, after a torched car and some shots fired at a veranda, all move out. Another example of unlikely reaction is when the lead character tells a rival gang member to take him to Don Vittorio and he agrees because "he said so". I've heard of the baby faced assassin but thelead character doesn't have a menacing hair on his angelic face to warrant such a compliant set of contemporaries. I was expecting more gut wrenching violence and yes, there are a couple of deaths (and one close to the lead character) but I sat there expecting the adults to roll back in with proper hitmen and start wiping the kids out. Never happened. This is a film that is a slow burn from start to end and the crescendo you sit there waiting for never happens. Seen lots of positive reviews and awards but Goodfellas or Gomorrah this is not.