First off I will say that I am not a prince fan. I have nothing bad to say about him or his music or his movies, I am just not into it. However I love this movie. I've read a lot of horrible reviews about it, and all I can say to them is that most of them are due to the fact that you are trying to compare movies. On its own this movie is beautiful, the schematics of it, the scenery and set design, and the use of music to tell the story. To watch this movie on its own without a mind bias of assuming that because you liked and understood the previous movies, you will like and understand this one...you find many elements of it that do appeal. The fact that there was very little speaking and more body language is beautiful, The total distinction between all of the characters is beautiful. The total distinction in each and every song being unique is beautiful. When I first saw this movie the one thing that outright attracted me was "Aura". Ingrid Chavez's use of body language, in particular her facial expressions throughout this film are amazing. Each character had a very clear role and very clearly expressed what that role is. The set designs are both nostalgic and creative without being too overly artistic, there is no exact time and place for this film, sometimes you think you're in the 1920's in a back alley of a speakeasy, sometimes you think you're in the 1980's dreaming about the 1990's. I believe the main thing that causes people to dislike this movie so much is a misunderstanding of the roles and the purposes in it. yes it is a battle between good and evil in a sense, but good(the kid) and evil(morris day) are NOT the focus points of it. The focus is Aura. In a chess game it is necessary to protect the king, however the queen is the most powerful player on the board and it is very difficult to win a game if she is lost unless her sacrifice is so that the king or the other players are in position to check mate. she can move in any direct and any amount of spaces. Ingrid Chavez did that very well. Aura was quiet yet not silenced, she only spoke when necessary and all the rest was expressed in her face. she did just what anyone else would do in her situation, knowing what the outcome would be, she still attempted to get there in other ways. Along side of the character of Aura, is the music. People are forgetting that this is NOT just a movie but a musical. Musicals are meant to be expressive and theatrical, they are not meant to WOW you like other films by visuals and plots. They are meant to open your mind and make you think and possibly find answers to things you don't know. Does anyone know if angels exist? Would you know an angel if you saw one? Could someones heart really truly be bad? Can people change? Is all music good or just the kind that makes us dance? Do actions speak louder than words? Do sinners have souls? All these questions can be pondered by watching this movie. But most people don't see that, all they see is that this movie isn't like Purple Rain, or Under the Cherry Moon, all they can see is that they have to think a little bit in order to enjoy it and since it isn't spelled out for them or so overly artistic that it must have reason then it must be the "worst prince movie ever". For Prince fans they don't see that, all they see is that Prince is not the main point, he is not as involved in it as he was in the other films, there are even less scenes with him even in it, and to them the music doesn't compare to the outright served up on a silver platter music of the others. it must be the "worst prince movie ever". Loose all of your biases, and this movie becomes one of the classic good movies. The main bias to loose is that this is not a Prince Movie...It's a Movie/Musical from the mind of Prince.
Review of Graffiti Bridge
