The Hustler
It’s too slow and talky for my taste, too much telling, and it felt like certain characters had real promise but weren’t developed into three dimensions. The acting is good, although George C. Scott lacks the nuance I’d have liked to see from him; his tendency to get shouty sort of flattened Bert Gordon out in a way. And the last scene is both annoying and excellent in that the writing is grimly pro forma and overly obvious, but the framing of the shot is interesting, and Gleason in the foreground, just working his mouth, saves it. I like him in this, being quiet. (10/23/06)
Tags: movies