The Quiet American - Thoughts and Reviews

[dh1989]

http://us.ent4.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/miramax_films/the_quiet_american/_group_photos/brendan_fraser3.jpg

Plot: Set in Vietnam in 1952 during the Vietnamese liberation war from French rule, this is the story of an opium-addicted British reporter, Fowler (Caine), in love with a young Vietnamese woman, Phuong (Yen), who is dismayed when a young American CIA agent, Pyle (Fraser), seems to have eyes for her as well.

What do you schmoes think about this one? I really want to see it. I am a big fan of Michael Caine and Brendan Fraser. The film's plot is interesting and I just believe it'll be a great Drama. Any Thoughts? Any Reviews?

You can find the trailer here.....http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hv&id=1808405549&cf=trailer

http://us.ent4.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/miramax_films/the_quiet_american/michael_caine/quiet3.jpg

[Moviefan1234]

I'd love to see this movie, I've been waiting for it for awhile now. The bad thing is that it has a very limited release so I don't think I'll be seeing it on the big screen.

[Jason]

I hear that Michael Cain might win an Oscar for this one.

[Nate6]

Roger Ebert said that Michael Caine delivers the best performance of the year (so far) in this movie, and that he could get that third Oscar for it. For that alone I'd see it. But the premise is promising and there is incredible buzz for it, so I'm there!

[Fergus]

Well, I thought I was seeing THE PIANIST tonight, but guess which movie I had to take a detour and see, yep.

And what a fine movie it was. As the title suggests, it is quite the "quiet" movie. Never goes emotionally overboard, for a romance, which I liked. Tackles themes of Friendship and Love, with a gentle subtlety. More true to life than any of Hollywood's oozing sap. :p

Michael Caine and Brendan Fraser give strong performances; Caine more than Fraser, not necessarily Oscar worthy. His approach to the role, more or less, reminded me of a quieter version of Alan Arkin's "Gene English" in 13 CONVERSATIONS. Most definitely a cynic, but also a lover. I guess I'm lying to myself by saying "Caine isn't Oscar worthy," but when I watched him onscreen, I saw him as the character, without many emotional outbursts, but a man who is in a way, torn between the woman he loves and his friend, whom he also despises. When I'm able to buy into such a complex character, that shows some really good acting. And as I've read from other critics, "It's not what Caine does in THE QUIET AMERICAN, it's what he doesn't do." Nice job Mr. Caine, but you still didn't deserve your Oscar for "Cider House". ;)

I appreciate films like this which aren't screaming for attention to themselves, and most likely, won't go down as a memorable film in the future, one of the forgotten, underrated gems. On that particular note, I highly recommend the film.

A side note: For a film that hasn't been very widely released, it seemed to have good sized budget (lots of good period detail; it's set in the 1950's), and I wonder why Mirimax isn't pushing for the film. It also reminds me of another Miramax film, THE ENGLISH PATIENT, only, this is much better, not as cold in its tone, and the characters aren't very one dimensional.

Oops, forgot my rating (8/10)

[Fergus]

And allow me to VENT for a second. Is it just me or does every other freakin' movie begin with the ending, then has the rest of the film plays as a flashback. That is beginning to piss me off! This is the only problem I had with the film. And, I think the ending would've been much more powerful had they not shown it in the beginning.

If anyone has noticed. The technique I just mentioned has been in the past THREE MIRAMAX films that I've seen. The Hours, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, and now, The Quiet American. I HIGHLY DOUBT this is a coincidence. And I bet it has something to do with Harvey Weinstein editing the film's. If you remember a month or two ago, he admitted to the media that he "edits the crap" out of movies. This is a Conspiracy!!!! :o