100% pure bullcrap: "Point Break"
Yes, yes ... this is firmly in the pantheon of guilty pleasures. That doesn't mean it's not a bad movie. Oh, it's bad. Just watch it.
I did recently. There was some free movie channel weekend or something, and I couldn't pass up the chance to see young Keanu and surfer Swayze enjoy an early '90s bromance. Bonus when I saw how many familiar faces were dancing on the edges: Gary Busey, John C. McGinley, Tom Sizemore. It was almost enough to forgive the stunt casting of that Red Hot Chili Peppers singer as a psycho surfer and the harebrained notion that Lori Petty was an acceptable love interest.
I'm sure I don't need to refresh your memory, but here goes: Mr. Reeves is a fresh-faced FBI agent enlisted by aged Busey to track down some frequent bank robbers in El Lay. Busey thinks they may be surfers, leading Keanu to become one with the ocean (and Petty, if you get my drift). On the beach, he meets Our Man Pat and his gang, with Swayze hamming it up as a spiritual doofus named Bodhi. Before long, Keanu realizes his pals just might be the bank robbers. Whoa ... bummer, dude.
Technically, the movie is fine, with fun action scenes that earned a much-deserved homage in "Hot Fuzz." Cut from the same cloth as the Tony Scott/Jerry Bruckheimer stuff, even though the director is Kathryn Bigelow (who also did "Strange Days" and "Near Dark," neither of which are bad). You likes the big waves and bang-bang? We gots it.
No, the problem here, as we all know, is the two leads. Swayze is merely silly as a blond Buddha of the Sea, while Reeves -- as Special Agent Johnny Utah -- is not nearly enough removed from his Bill and Ted days to take seriously. I know what you're thinking. (1) Like we take him seriously now ... and (2) how seriously could you take anyone in a dumb action movie?
Valid points, but you have to admit that by the time he got to "Speed" and especially "The Matrix," Keanu had learned to use that blank look more to his advantage. Not so much in "Point Break." Really, I cringed more than a few times, which is a shame given the chutzpah of this movie otherwise. Everyone goes to the "I'm an F-B-I agent!" scene as Exhibit A, but there's much more than that. By the time you get to the final confrontation on the stormy beach, Keanu's acting -- or lack thereof -- is a sight to behold. Maybe he should have worn one of those president masks during the movie.
posted by Jefferson @ 9:00 PM
1 comments
1 Comments:
Jefferey - I would argue that Swayze is actually quite good in the film. He's one of those actors that has done countless lousy movies (maybe a couple decent ones) but commits totally to each and every one. The plot may be hilariously stupid. The writing and dialogue may be gag-inducing. The idiotic characters, casting and acting around him may be CBS sitcom-worthy. Yet Swayze still brings his 'A' game, does what he can with the plot/dialogue/character, and usually pulls off an entertaining (often even convincing) performance. "Point Break" is a perfect example. Keanu can barely commit to (and is barely believable playing) a character that appears to be, well, his actual self. Yet Swayze nails "Bodhi" and finds a way to make the movie the guilty pleasure it is, which by definition means there has to be something entertaining about it. Granted, the award-winning script is a big part of that "entertainment" ("Johnny Utah"..."I am an F, B, I, Agent!"..."I was taking shrapnel in Khe Sanh when you were crapping in your hands and rubbing it on your face!"). But at least for me, Swayze is the primary draw. That and the randomly aggressive whores hanging out with Anthony Kiedis in the "thug surfer" cottage.
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