Genres

Visitors Review

2012-05-24 17:58:12

A surprisingly great watch!

This review is from: Taking Chances (DVD) I bought this film because I think Justin Long is funny and I thought it looked like a cute love story. Now, I was reticent because I thought the cover is cheesy, but I decided to get it anyway. It was so much better than I imagined! And it wasn't just a love story, more of a coming of age film about a young guy who is trying to figure out his place in his town and therefore the world. I laughed out loud, which I rarely do, and I was also really touched by it. It's quite witty, not big slapstick humor. I also thought it captured the current political climate of main street economic struggles and the corruption of government and big business. I strongly recommend it. Pleasant surprise!Taking Chances

2012-05-24 10:55:43

Glad I Took a Chance

When I had heard that the guy who does the "Hi, I'm a Mac" t.v. commercial was in this film, my interest was piqued. Didn't know who the other actors were.... didn't matter: the story, a variation on the David vs Goliath theme, was compelling. It is unfortunate that the cover art of the DVD gives the impression of this being a teenage romantic comedy. The movie itself belies that image - it's a complex, textured story about good and evil, innocence and knowing, honesty and deceit. My only criticism: perhaps the movie tries to take on too many deep contradictions. Even so, "Taking Chances" is worth watching.

2012-05-23 03:53:35

Young Adult Romantic Comedy or Incisive Cultural Commentary? You Decide...

This movie is not what I thought it was going to be - and am I ever glad. One week later and certain parts and scenes are still going through my mind. Maybe it was just coincidence, but the movie was released at a time when the backdrop of the story: the setting of a town in economic downturn, the political powers that be desperate to do something, anything, to reinvigorate the community, but at the high cost of selling out the very thing that makes the place unique; the young "ingenue" who lives a secret life --all could be plucked out of the headlines of the evening news. This movie turned out to be as darkly comedic and as incisive as a Coen Brothers' film, but so much more stealthy. Some issues and characters aren't what they seem, and some are so obvious as to seem caricatures. Themes:politics, political correctness, political corruption; and then: yearning, shades of desperation, and hope and idealism, peppered with irony and not a little comedy. This is cultural commentary, a uniquely American story, masquerading as a young adult romantic comedy. Check it out...

2012-05-22 15:17:55

Disappointing on the long haul

The movie started out really well and I thought it was funny and interesting for the first hour or so. Then it just took a set of turns and spins that made the movie rather irrelevant.SPOILER WARNING*** His fight against what was coming was totally ridiculous and plain stupid. Justin Long's character's idea to "save" the town by thinking he could create a tourist attraction was discredited by himself at the end anyway. So the town was taken in by a bunch of con people, yeah so what? They were doing what they thought would save their town, their town was going down the drain if they had done nothing. It would make it seem that the town council were the only people hurt by the greed shown. That entire town died but of course we drive away with the main character and aren't there to see that part.There was no romantic or anything of real value to learn from their relationship either. It leaves it with her having a piece of paper that directs her to where her father might be. Oookay, again so what?Too many loose ends and the moral of the story is??? The funny stuff at the end was??? Exactly.

2012-05-22 05:00:35

Somewhat mismarketed

Judging from the cover and description on the back of the box, I expected this to be a cotton candy film (heavy on the sweetness yet lacking in substance). I was surprised to find it actually had a much more interesting storyline. It really isn't the romantic comedy the marketing people billed it to be. It is, however, a commentary on some of the less desirable aspects of our society pleasantly wrapped in a quirky sense of humor.

doubleodd 2012-05-21 15:38:46

Great indie flick

This endearing and thoughtful indie effort is well worth the watch.There are some hysterical scenes, particularly those between the hero(Justin Long) and his best friend (Keir O'Donell), and everything theMayor (Rob Corddry) does. The story has a few small holes, but thatdoesn't get in the way of recognizing that this is a powerful satire ofsmall town America down on its luck. The narrative exposes thefragility of American values when greed and corruption take hold. Thehero turns out to be the only one in town that remembers why America isAmerica, and for that his neighbors decide he must pay a price. Lots ofturns that you don't see coming, including a big one at the film'sclimax.

2012-05-12 19:47:51

Save your $$, see them both in other Movies

I bought "Taking Chances" $14.96 just because the Beautiful Emmanuelle Chriqui was on the Dvd cover. Also the guy (Justin Long) from "Dodge Ball " and all of those Mac vs. Pc commercials is in it. All in all the movie is not bad,its just not very good. Chase Revere =Justin Long, is a History Buff running the town of Patriotville's museum . Other than a group of Grey Haired ladies and his goofy friend Digger, no one seems to visit. One night when Chase is going home her runs into Lucy Spanks = Emmanuelle C. giving her a bicycle ride( after she torches her deadbeat fathers car) . Even though the town is dying, Chase is ready to present his idea of expanding the Museum and get tourist dollars. The Mayor shuts him down and has a better idea. The Alguanqua Indians want to build a Casino in Patriotville ...or the town of Sulfur Falls, whoever gives the best bribe . It ends up Lucy is not the Virgin that Digger said she was. Lucy likes older men. Her and the Mayor carry on/ do you see E.C. naked? NO! When the Mayor + bigwigs are discussing their juggling funds for the bribe the mayors wife tapes the conversation. She goes to Lucy and tells her give it to Chase. In his fathers Hotel Lucy & Chase listen to the tape. Chase gathers the town expecting Lucy with the evidence any minute and expose the corruption. Nope. Lucy meets the mayor and in return for the tape reveals her fathers location. It could have been a good movie but the writers failed to pick a direction of comedy, romance or caper . It travels about as fast as Chase on his bicycle.It is in my collection but I can not recomend it.

Steve Pulaski 2012-05-12 12:05:21

More like taking blind stabs

Independent films are like someone shooting at a shooting range. Theperson shooting is the film, and the gun is how the film is executed.There is a board with a bullseye a few yards away. It can hit deadcenter and be an excellent film, hit in the circles around it and bepretty good, hit close to the top and be only fair (but at least youhit it), and some can either clip the top of the board or just flyright over. Taking Chances is fired straight as if it were going to hitaround the circles just outside of the bullseye, but then arcs rightover the board making for an almost complete bust. Just tragic.Part of the reason for this is because Taking Chances is trying totackle too many genres. Like a kid putting his feet in the pool. Beforehe can fully submerse himself in water, he notices another pool, runsover there, and puts his feet in that one before going to the next.Taking Chances sinks its feet in the comedy, drama, romance, and socialcommentary pools before just saying "hell, lets mix the watertogether." The movie is about an economically challenged town by thename of Patriotsville. The town was the place of The Revolutionary Warbattle, and due to the money problems, Mayor Fishback (Corddry) wantsto build an Indian casino over the battlefield. A history geek namedChase (Long) is heartbroken by this, and teams up with a mysteriousgirl named Lucy (Chriqui) to try and save the town's biggest piece ofhistory.Right off the bat, this could've spawned a number of great genres totouch upon. The problem being the movie never really thought of how itwanted to approach this idea. Should this be a big joke, let's hire RobCorddry. Wait! We can make this a pretty decent drama, hire JustinLong. He's dependable and likable. But wait, give him a girl to workwith so we can get a love story going here. You know, this would be agreat time to add maybe some social commentary about history. By thetime this movie script was complete, it was a messy, incoherent, andunorthodox piece of work the crew must've said "just make it." Not tomention, the film has an R rating, but constantly the town mayor keepssaying "f this," "f that" without actually saying the word. It's almostlike the film was trying to edit for PG-13 after it got the R rating.It begs an explanation why this film didn't pursue the R rating afterbeing granted with it. If anything, this could pass for a sizable PG-13rated film.I really like Justin Long. I've liked everything he's done up untilthis point. Why he did this makes sense because not only does he wantHollywood rep, I assume, he wants Indie-cred as well. Which isperfectly fine with me. I dig multi-talented actors. And I assume heliked the script and his character. But, he failed to look at one thingand so did the directors - there is no point in this film where anyonetakes any chances. Are they taking a chance by standing up for whatthey believe in? If so, make that a bit more obvious please. Theoriginal title was Patriotsville. That sounds more like an independentmovie Clearly, nothing is consistent in this film. And it's sad becausesuch a good idea was thrown away in the process of constructing thisfilm. I applaud the two leads for doing the best they could under thegiven circumstances and limitations of the budget, but the end resultis calamity.Starring: Justin Long, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Rob Corddry, Keir O'Donnell,and Missi Pyle. Directed by: Talmage Cooley.

2012-05-03 03:31:40

unexpectedly delightful

funny, i was 'taking chances' on the film when i rented it because i liked the liner notes. happily it paid off! i loved this movie and am now purchasing it. first, i am AMAZED at how relevant the film is to much that is going on in our country right now, and wonder how the film-makers foresaw so much that has actually happened-the loss of jobs and prosperity-outrageous monetary scheming and get rich quick mentalities bringing a town to possible ruin. justin long and emmanuelle chriqui have a chemistry that keeps the plot genuinely engaging and dramatic-both a romance and a meditation on values, legacy and the lost 'american dream.' but not to fret, there are plenty of belly laughs provided by the entire cast-most particulary rob corddry as the conniving mayor who would sell his children to bring the indian casino to their town.

2012-05-02 19:42:30

Unfunny unromantic

This is not a romantic comedy as advertised. Even so, it never made me laugh for even a second. The only reason that made me watch this movie is due to the 4.5 stars rating. Now, I know that I really cannot rely very much on movie reviews. Anyway, every individual has his own taste. Its not romantic nor it is a comedy.