Brooklyn Affairs

"O it is excellent to have a giant’s strength, but it is tyrannous to use it like a giant" - Edward Norton serves the audience with an honest to god retro-detective story, the likes of which are few and far between in today's Hollywood. On top of that, he portrays a guy suffering from Tourette's syndrome in a completely unique way. Hats off to him. There were several such giants here, but the nearest one to central idea was most aptly played by the tyrant played with obvious gusto by Alec Baldwin. And the stylish jazz music which gives this movie a touch of flair and perfectly captures the atmosphere of the time must not be overlooked. (80%) (05/06/2022)

Motherless Brooklyn (which is the English translation of the book's title and, incidentally, a much better title than the Czech translation, The Dark Face of Brooklyn) is a very effective trip to noir New York in the late 1950s. I dare say that in contemporary discourse, this second Edward Norton film represents a strong departure from the mainstream, demanding from the viewer not just empathy but a certain amount of attention. That said, the fully attentive viewer is eventually rewarded with a multi-layered story whose individual components are credited to Norton both as screenwriter and director. Everything here, whether issues of racism, corruption, or general social inequality, has a solid place and comes together to form a very respectable whole. At times I couldn't shake the feeling that it was all a little too flashy, slightly theatrical, and mannerist, but that would probably be my only real criticism. Besides, Norton had first planned to carry out the whole project twenty years ago, so this is probably the work of his dreams and near original authorship, which he simply wanted to do his own way. Those who catch his vibe, however, will be very pleased. (23/04/2020)

Edward Norton is one of the actors I'm becoming increasingly fond of. Although even without him Motherless Brooklyn would be an honest crime drama from a rough school, it is his amazingly superbly acted protagonist who made it such a spectacle for me. Thanks to Edward Norton, along with the investigation or the issue of racism, the film can also focus on how a person with Tourette syndrome feels and lives, and how to, albeit slowly, mix it all the more carefully together. That Norton also wrote and directed the whole thing is just the cherry on top. The music of Daniel Pemberton, who did not give up his style, but did subordinate the choice of instruments to the time in which the film takes place, and the soundtrack sparkled with 100 per cent jazz, are definitely also highlights of the film. (19/01/2021)

Too bad Motherless Brooklyn isn't as solid and dense technically as it is in terms of story, acting, and narrative value. Norton plays the outsider well, but Alec Baldwin is superb as an ambiguous character who fits the parameters of an exceptional villain who isn't really a villain. It is remarkably easy to identify with his views, attitudes and motivations. Thus, Norton avoids a one-dimensional retro style gangster tale of good guys and bad guys, and systematically and coherently puts together a conspiratorial little gangster, little drama, little dense procedural about a battle for the future of a big city. It's a great shame that he can't manage a better visual aesthetic, because the film looks like a terrible TV movie at times. (25/01/2020)

Finally, I got to watch a decent film noir with a good atmosphere and a hint of Bruce Willis. I can always count on Edward Norton to deliver a great performance, and he didn't let me down this time either. The film stood in sharp contrast to the vast majority of what has recently come out, and I really appreciate it. (26/02/2020)