Jolie in New York City

What? Says:
December 9th, 2006 at 9:08 pm

Hollywood Reporter:

Jolie here is not Lara Croft or Mrs. Smith but the once-sassy, now long-suffering wife of a spook. And so it goes through the cast, with only Gambon playing what you might call a fictional movie character, but it fits the role to a T.

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thanks! just like any other movie some review will be god and others will be not soo good. I’ll check out the movie to see for myself.

carelessaboutaniston Says:

December 9th, 2006 at 9:02 pm
+++++++++++

The movie might not be a BO hit, but I’m sure Angie unlike someone there who will start blaming the directotr, the script, the screen writer her costars for the failure of her film.

Variety:

The birth of the CIA and the life journey of one of its founding operatives is a fascinating subject, one that is done only lukewarm justice in “The Good Shepherd.” Robert De Niro’s second film as a director adopts a methodical approach and deliberate pace in attempting to grasp an almost forbiddingly intricate subject, with a result that is not boring, exactly, but undeniably tedious. Cast and material’s intrinsic interest will provide a sufficient media profile for a decent B.O. launch, but lack of excitement and suspense will translate into a quick commercial fade.
Eric Roth’s heavily researched original script fictionalizes known events big and small as it hops, skips and jumps through some 40 years of an ever-changing geopolitical landscape. Pivoting on the CIA’s role in the failed Bay of Pigs operation in 1961, ambitious yarn casts its eye on such other historical signposts as the Skull & Bones society, the formation of the OSS on the eve of World War II and the long chess game of the Cold War, all the while developing an arching theme involving the legacies of fathers and sons.

Given the glacial emotional temperature and withholding nature of the characters, it would not be surprising to learn that De Niro’s artistic template here was the Al Pacino portion of “The Godfather: Part II,” which itself serves as a reminder that executive producer Francis Ford Coppola once planned to direct this project himself.

But the long and short of the problem is that the director never finds a proper rhythm to allow the viewer to settle comfortably into what turns out to be a very long voyage. Like many films of the moment, this one keeps jumping around in time, not confusingly in the least, but in a way that has no natural flow to it. Tie that to a central character who defiantly offers no glimpse into his inner life and you have a picture that offers scant returns for the investment of time it requests of the viewer.

Beginning with a sketchy account of the Bay of Pigs fiasco, the narrative bounces back to 1939, when blueblooded Yale student Edward Wilson (Matt Damon) is initiated into the secret future leaders training ground, Skull & Bones — which in turn triggers another flashback to 20 years earlier, when little Edward discovered the body of his father, who committed suicide.

A square, upright fellow with a gift for poetry, Edward attracts the attention of an FBI agent (Alec Baldwin), to whom Edward displays his advanced sense of loyalty by exposing the evident Nazi connections of his doting English professor (Michael Gambon). In this patriotic act of personal betrayal, a long and fruitful career begins.

A man of few words and no humor, Edward possesses a purposefulness that impresses the high society of his classmates. His stony seriousness poses only a momentary challenge to a spirited and flirtatious senator’s daughter, Clover (Angelina Jolie), who gets herself knocked up just as Edward has taken an interest in an appealing deaf girl, Laura (Tammy Blanchard). Edward dutifully marries Clover and promptly disappears for six years to blitz-plagued London at the behest of “Wild Bill” Sullivan (De Niro in a wryly sage turn), who’s been put in charge of FDR’s foreign intelligence unit, the nascent Office of Strategic Services.

When Edward finally returns, he meets his son but has virtually nothing to say to the wife he scarcely knows. Things remain frosty between them, a consequence of Edward’s professional policy of disclosing nothing and trusting no one. But it’s one of the film’s key failings that this relationship is never defined at least to the point of explaining why Clover stays with Edward when he ignores her so totally, a situation aggravated by the casting of Jolie, who one knows would never sit around waiting for a man forever.

Nevertheless, Edward Jr. (Eddie Redmayne, good) comes to play a critical role in his father’s life, as shadowy exchanges between East and West come to dominate. Particularly central is the CIA’s wary acceptance of a Soviet defector, Valentin (John Sessions), only to be confounded by the later arrival of another Russian (Mark Ivanir) claiming to be the real Valentin, all against the backdrop of Edward’s efforts to learn all he can about his own KGB counterpart, “Ulysses” (Oleg Stefan).

Inherent tragedy of the story lies in the seeming inevitability of betrayal on both personal and professional fronts when matters are pushed to their furthest limits. Here, too, are found echoes of the “Godfather” films, but the thematic similarities merely point up “The Good Shepherd’s” shortcomings where directorial command is concerned. Crucially missing is slowly building momentum, a firm hand on pace, a way to convey gradual moral decay and a talent for magisterial storytelling, gifts that are impossible to fake in the long run.

Seemingly based in great measure on the ever-intriguing James Angleton, Damon’s Edward remains an opaque, impenetrable figure throughout, and neither actor nor script provides the subtext to reveal any layers of personality. Many of the supporting players provide welcome personal flavors, but thesping overall is restrained rather than flashy or deeply felt.

Considerable care has gone into period details, as exemplified by the rich contributions of production designer Jeannine Oppewall, costume designer Ann Roth and cinematographer Robert Richardson, which combine for a darkly burnished look. Score by Marcelo Zarvos and Bruce Fowler provides imaginative, atypical backdropping.

Yes, I am with MalibuMom, ThinkPositive! and ? on this one. Totally.
Hedylamar/hateonphonies from E! forums, Vajragini/lena/TeresaKenedy from FF forums , some of the crazy posters CAvixen/Mermaid/(a nasty one here) from PerezHilton forums….plus a few nicks from other bloghroreads sound TOO similar-identical: they hate on Brad and Angie and they are outright disgusting in theie remarks about the kids.This is TOTALLY that Chin-Dumped woman’s camp.

SHAME ON jEN THE BEYOTCH AND HER CAMP FOR BEING SO LOW AND DISGUSTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ilovenyc Says:
December 9th, 2006 at 9:13 pm
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You seem to care pretty much about them by posting on their thread! Don’t ya think???
If you are sick of them move the hell on and stop looking at them Jen….Oops!! :lol:

Hmm…. it seems like all the power posters on this site has gone in yahoo group discussing stuff. Me wants to know the truth! Expose the liar please Malibumommy.

What? Says: December 9th, 2006 at 9:17 pm - Exactly, its not AJ who is married to Edward, its her character Clover who is…that’s why its called acting…. these critics are really annoying

Most reviews are positive with the common thread that the movie is too long and drags in the middle. The move was originally 3 hrs long and he cut it down to 2 1/2 but probably should of cut some more.

JANET , that iloveNYc poster is another faniston cronie, paid to bash on the BAMZS..on their threads!
Hello(and fcuk you), jen, did fed-ed fcuk you good?not even his sperm could sperminate your dry hole.!!!Go with him loser -dumped chin!!

We are here to stay and love BAMZS…
Oh, M-Mom , please post that link so I can go round the net and paste how leatherface/dumped-by-Vaughn-soon-dumped -by-KFed and her paid DAWGS are trying to manipulate peoples’ opinions!!!

Just voted for JJ for best blog!!!! I want to see new pics of Brad and Angie…

After adjusting to the rhythm of it, I was in love so let me get my bitching out of the way before the worship begins.
THE BAD: this movie is LONG. Like over 3 hours long. And you can definitely feel it in places. Which is a strange problem considering that it is so jam packed with informatoin and human drama that I was still processing stuff when the next scene would come on. Which brings me to my next *****. The movie can be a bit confusing at times. Although if you wait paiently, things are revealed that explain a lot and they end up blowing your mind. IF YOU WAIT. In the meantime though, you may find yourself playing catch up with the plot/reversals/double crosses/tests and general intrigue that goes on.
But the movie could very well be a masterpiece and here is why…
THE GOOD: this is an intense, fascinating, pulsating and passionate depiction of a chapter of American History that even if we think we know somewhat - we really have no idea about. The pleasant surprise here being that De Niro manages to layer the personal, dysfunctional history of one particular operative throughout the whole birth of the CIA up through to the disaster at Bay of Pigs. All of which rests on the very capable shoulders of one Mr. Matt Damon - whom is turning out to be one of our cinema’s greatest actors. He’s (I think) in just about every single scene of this and turns in a performance that is not only stoic and mature, but observant, wise and conflicted. In a way the whole story is his struggle to keep moral amidst a career which traffics in secrets, lies and distrust. Mark my words - THIS WILL BE DAMON’S NEXT OSCAR NOMINATION. Jolie and Hurt are pretty much the next two leads - with Hurt doing what Hurt does (all I can say) and Jolie proving once again that she is full of surprises. She’s flirty in this, cynical — and even naive which I don’t think is something we’ve seen in her arsenal before. I never think of Jolie as wounded or vulnerable and I think this performance will show people just how big her range is. Its a part that gets to build througout and then e-x-p-l-o-d-e. AGAIN - JOLIE’S NEXT OSCAR NOD.

New photos of angie in NY today on my blog.

Angie looks gorgeous!!