I was shocked to read the reviews of this. My husband is a very serious movie buff -- a TV newsman, now retired after 40+ years in the business. I'm a writer (we never retire, we just get older). And both of us love this movie. In fact, when we started switching over to DVD, it was among the first movies we bought.
For me, the essence of a great movie is THE SCRIPT! I love words. I love wit. I love intelligent dialogue. And this movie has tons of wit, great dialogue, memorable lines (give or take a lie or two) and excellent chemistry between Willis and Garner. I liked Willis as Tom Mix, although I am not otherwise much of a Bruce Willis fan (except that I loved "Moonlighting" ... ) I thought he gave a much more subtle and textured performance than he has done in most of his movies. And of course, I've liked Garner since I was a girl watching Maverick on TV.
Black Edwards' movies are not everyone's cup of tea, I guess. I love most of them, and minimally, enjoy the rest. His movies are always intelligent: the wit biting, the dialogue sharp with some extraordinary monologues. For the Blake Edwards fans out there, is there a better monologue than William Holden's speech, which in many ways, was his own obituary -- in S.O.B. (another of Black Edwards' great films that hardly anyone seems to appreciate).
Okay. I'm finished. I think "Sunset" is a very fine movie. If what you are looking for are car chases, piles of corpses, slapstick, sex, and special effects, this is NOT your movie. If your love of movies includes a love of words, good acting, and sharp humor, this is a good'un.
For me, the essence of a great movie is THE SCRIPT! I love words. I love wit. I love intelligent dialogue. And this movie has tons of wit, great dialogue, memorable lines (give or take a lie or two) and excellent chemistry between Willis and Garner. I liked Willis as Tom Mix, although I am not otherwise much of a Bruce Willis fan (except that I loved "Moonlighting" ... ) I thought he gave a much more subtle and textured performance than he has done in most of his movies. And of course, I've liked Garner since I was a girl watching Maverick on TV.
Black Edwards' movies are not everyone's cup of tea, I guess. I love most of them, and minimally, enjoy the rest. His movies are always intelligent: the wit biting, the dialogue sharp with some extraordinary monologues. For the Blake Edwards fans out there, is there a better monologue than William Holden's speech, which in many ways, was his own obituary -- in S.O.B. (another of Black Edwards' great films that hardly anyone seems to appreciate).
Okay. I'm finished. I think "Sunset" is a very fine movie. If what you are looking for are car chases, piles of corpses, slapstick, sex, and special effects, this is NOT your movie. If your love of movies includes a love of words, good acting, and sharp humor, this is a good'un.