Passion review

by MaryAnn Johanson
1 comment
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Passion red light Noomi Rapace Rachel McAdams

Trashy remake of the brilliant French black comedy strips out the satire and slathers what’s left in ridiculous lesbian-erotic-thriller sauce.
I’m “biast” (pro): love Noomi Rapace and Rachel McAdams

I’m “biast” (con): nothing

I have seen the source material (and I love it)

(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)

[dropcap style=”font-size: 150px; color: ##9a6b36;”]Oh. I didn’t realize this is a remake of the brilliant French black comedy Love Crime until the unfolding story — about two advertising execs and their game of corporate manipulation that leads to murder — started to seem really familiar. As with most remakes, the primary question is: Why? I guess I know why Brian De Palma wanted to give this one a do-over: so he could slather on some trashy-lesbian-erotic-thriller sauce that was not present in the original. Because apparently the only reason women might fuck each other over is because they want to fuck each other? Christ. Oh, and De Palma (who adapted the script as well as directed) also felt that he needed to simplify and overexplain the plot, which wasn’t that complicated in the French original to begin with; this also has the effect of stripping out all the wicked satire. Even the chance to worship the goddesses Noomi Rapace and Rachel McAdams isn’t enough to save this.

Click here for my ranking of this and 2013’s other theatrical releases.
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RogerBW
RogerBW
Fri, Aug 30, 2013 11:49am

Oh well. At least the original is still out there.

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