Sap and Satire

I watched 2 movies over the weekend. The first was A Room with a View. I hadn't read the novel, and the movie sounded interesting. Daniel Day Lewis is always worth a watch. It was a disappointment. I don't know why I was expecting something more like an Age of Innocence, which is a wonderfully well written novel, and a well made movie. Instead I got something out of a Mills&Boon type novel. Helena Bonham-Carter is OK. But the actor who plays George Emerson, her love interest is totally uninspiring. Daniel Day Lewis is wonderful as usual, but even he can't rescue this one. Its a lost cause.
Why George and Lucy fall in love is a mystery. Maybe it was because she swooned in his arms early on in the movie. Yep. Faints conveniently into his outstretched arms. If thats not trashy Victorian romance, I don't know what is. So, I was just totally bored with the entire thing.
Except for about 5 minutes half-way into the movie. There was this completely unnecessary scene with 3 completely nude men cavorting around in a pool. Then chasing each other around it. It was hilarious. Why they spent 5 whole minutes showing that I didn't know then. So, after watching the movie I googled E.M. Forster. Everything is crystal clear now.

The second movie was far more satisfactory. I watched Thank You for Smoking. And thoroughly enjoyed it. Aaron Eckhart is a spokesman for The Academy of Tobacco Studies. He has the unenviable job of defending cigarette smoking, and playing down its risks, so to speak. He is a charming, smooth talking man who does what it takes to "pay the mortgage." All the while trying to keep it honest with his kid. The scenes between Eckhart and Rob Lowe(esp. the phone conversation with Lowe in a Kimono) are awesome. As is the scene where Eckhart helps his son out with his homework.(Essay on why America has the best government in the world!) The Mod Squad lunches are brilliant. The idea of 3 people with sucky jobs comparing notes with such nonchalance is beyond funny.
The best part of the movie is that it offers no judgements on smoking, while accepting the risks associated with it. No preachy message at the end. He changes jobs, yeah. But now he speaks on behalf of cell-phone companies...saying that cell phone usage doesn't cause brain tumors. Nothing changes really. No miraculous awakening of conscience. Which is pretty awesome, because people never really change in real life. Jerry Maguire like transformations(I love Jerry Maguire, btw. Just saying.) only ever happen in the movies. So, 5 gold stars for Thank You for Smoking.