The Devil Wears Pravda
That's what Gregg calls the Meryl Streep movie. His review of it: "The entire movie is 'Meryl Streep is coming, let's hide!'"
We did see a terrific film last night, here at the Noir in Festival in Courmayeur, Italy, after they presented Elmore ("Dutch") Leonard with the Raymond Chandler award...Lonely Hearts, directed by Todd Robinson. With Travolta (who was very good) and Gandolfini (whom, bizarrely, I once had drinks with at Les Deux Magots in Paris, along with Peter Weller, Grandpa from The Sopranos, and two bimbos). The film also starred Jared Leto as the con man. Terrific job by Leto. But, the real star of the picture was Salma Hayek, as the blackest black widow you've ever seen. Good story, good dialogue. (Even Elmore thought so.)
What I loved about the presentation of Elmore's award was how they celebrated him for his "invisibility" as a narrator -- how he disappears and lets his characters tell the story through dialogue. I'm reminded of a line of his I almost quoted in a column; the photographer Joe LaBrava (in Elmore's book "LaBrava") knocking down the thug Richie Nobles, straddling him, and sticking Nobles' own gun in Nobles' mouth: "Suck on it. It'll calm you down."
Classic Dutch.
Streep was DELICIOUS in that movie. I howled!
Lena at December 8, 2006 8:58 AM
Yes she was. It was the only time I can recall seeing a movie where a main character had more depth than in the book.
deja pseu at December 8, 2006 9:18 AM
I think that movie works best as a parody of Nietzsche's idea of slave morality, no? Streep's character is the only vaguely likeable one -- a visionary woman of accomplishment; everyone else is just a bunch of selfish, needy, passive-aggressive, teary-eyed wusses who don't know where they're going in life but want to make sure nobody gets there before them. Especially that mopey, ressentimentoid, "everybody forgets my birthday and nobody wants my grilled Jarlsberg sandwiches" boyfriend. What a bastard.
Paul Hrissikopoulos at December 8, 2006 1:12 PM
I do approve of Anne Hathaway's black leather bustier, however.
Paul Hrissikopoulos at December 8, 2006 1:26 PM
Amy, you lead one of the most interesting lives I know of, this side of Dominick Dunne. Drinks with James Gandolfini, Peter Weller and Al Lewis at Cafe Deux Magots sounds absolutely surreal. It couldn't be more colorful unless Jean Paul and Simone were at the next table, preferably with Gertrude and Alice B (yes, I know I'm mixing eras).
AND you got your career start from a suggestion made by Jonathan Larson when he was your waiter, and that's on top of various Elmore and Gregg adventures, and assorted "adventures in Tinseltown." Just a few of the great anecdotes that is "La Vie Amy."
I just hope you're keeping good notes - can't wait to read the autobiography.
Melissa at December 8, 2006 1:34 PM
Melissa, you are so right ... I've had a girl-crush on Amy for like a year!
Pirate Jo at December 8, 2006 4:34 PM
"Streep's character is the only vaguely likeable one"
The fag designer with the bald head was also very likeable, in that stern older sister kind of way. He was vaguely fuckable too.
Lena at December 8, 2006 5:11 PM
Re character dialog - my favorite's still Thomas Perry. For humorous mystery, it's Joe Lansdale. But a big Leonard fan anyway!
Cat brother at December 9, 2006 5:25 PM
Stephen McCauley (The Object of My Affection) is also a master of dialogue. And his characters are witty as fuck (probably because they're homos).
Lena at December 10, 2006 7:00 PM
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