'PASSION PLAY': One Star (Out of Five) A truly bad movie is one that fails to accomplish what it set out to do on almost every level. That's why when someone argues that a movie is bad simply because they don't like it (like Michael Bay films for example) they're not making a justifiable argument. A movie is not bad merely because your personal taste disagrees with it. If a movie is good at what it sets out to do then by definition it's a good movie. That is not the case with this film. It sets it's goals so high and fails at each one miserably. It is by definition a bad film and personal taste has nothing to do with it. You could argue that maybe the film did exactly what the filmmakers set out to do though and you just didn't get what they were trying to do but if the finished product is that unclear (on what it's attempting to do) then it's a bad film as well. Mitch Glazer wrote and directed this train wreck of a movie and it's his first attempt at directing a feature although he's co-written such films as 'SCROOGED', 'THE RECRUIT' and 'GREAT EXPECTATIONS'. The film stars Mickey Rourke, Megan Fox, Bill Murray and Rhys Ifans. The actors are so much better than the material and the only one that delivers a semi decent performance because of it is Bill Murray. Rourke is obviously not a strong enough actor to carry this sh-- and Fox has never been worse (she still looks good though). What a waste of talent! Rourke stars as a jazz trumpet player named Nate Poole who recently had the misfortune of sleeping with the local gangster Happy Shannon's (Murray) wife. Shannon had his wife killed and was about to have Poole killed as well when Nate was saved by a band of Indians during his assassination attempt in the desert. Poole then stumbles upon a circus and meets a beautiful woman named Lily (Fox) with angel wings. He promises to protect her and find her a better life if she leaves with him which she does but Poole's past troubles catch up with him once they return to the city. The film is a mess from start to finish. It's visually unappealing and the story is not the slightest bit interesting or involving. The actors are unable to make you care at all, or relate to their characters, and I think that's more due to a weak script and horrible directing than anything else. Glazer tries his hardest to make the film unique and quirky but it's mainly just a bore. The only thing that's really amusing or entertaining about it is the fascination and wonder (it draws from you) in how things became so miscalculated to result in what's unfolding before you. The film fails to resonate any feeling or reaction of almost any kind from the viewer at all. In that way it is at least interesting though.
Review of Passion Play
