darkbytes
I watched the entire season of Project Green Light and then this whole movie, so I got the right to review, and this is a very bad movie, there's no one to pass the bucket around, it was Director Jason Mann's Script, Casting, Direction and Final Cut, so its all on him, the best twist which was Fionna's plan at the end wasn't even on the original script, it was added by HBO to try to save the movie!! there was a scene on Project Green light where Jason Mann is discussing with the head of HBO movies about the "musicality" of a scene, when that kid obviously has no clue as to what that is!! the movie lacks cohesion, solidity and rhythm!! Time to find a different job Mann!! I heard bartenders and servers make a lot of money!
bruce-37802
I got angry when I saw the result of this latest Project Greenlight effort, "The Leisure Class". After all the anguish and hand wringing shown during the 8 episodes of this PG mini-series, we get a major flop. I expected something better for all the time I spent watching this series. I felt cheated. This season was more like Project Redlight, if you ask me.First, the plot is as thin as toilet paper. I had no idea what was going on and had to make up my own plot line to make sense of what I was seeing. It's like the "Prince and the Pauper" meets "4 Weddings and a Funeral". This story has been told a thousand times before and ten thousand times better by others. Why do it again? There is zero character set up or development. I thought I had missed the entire first reel of the movie when it began. I kept asking my wife "who's that?", "who is that woman supposed to be?" Who is that guy and why is he saying that?". All I kept thinking was "huh?". This lack of coherent story is Screen writing 101 stuff that a major studio, HBO, missed before shooting? That's your comedy, right there! Then, the camera work and lighting was amateurish and dull. Almost the entire film was shot in the same framing and camera angle. The camera rarely moved. The direction was so morose, I forgot it was supposed to be a comedy. Comedy of errors, yes, but funny? No! Not one scene had any comedic flare or even a hint of humor. Imagine Kim Jung Un directing a comedy. It was stop and say your line, stop and say your line, on and on...boring.So, I cannot say if the actors were good or bad because the dialog and lack of story would make even De Niro look bad. But why did Jason Mann feel he needed British-accented actors for the two main character roles? There was nothing in the story that demanded a Brit. It's just another easy, thoughtless way to say "a classy guy" because we have been conditioned to associate an English accent with high class and education. But in this case, it was meaningless. Again, HBO, you bought this? I'm not sure why HBO allowed Jason Mann to get his way with his script, his re-writes, his demand for shooting on 35mm film vs HD digital Cinema equipment. But, it all seems to be part of HBO's ham-fisted way of showing how "tough" it is to make a Hollywood movie. Well, being in the business, I know it is difficult to get the money to make a feature-length film. But, by the time the script is locked down, story-boarded, actors chosen and rehearsed, the crew is selected, your locations are selected and you have been given the "green light", shooting the movie is not tough. It may be laborious and stressful, but not hard. Working 2 jobs and raising kids is hard.I know it was a "low budget" movie, but I worked on a Roger Corman film at one point and that production had a quarter the money, adjusted for inflation, and much better results. $3 million dollars is big bucks to an Indie production, especially one as uncomplicated as "The Leisure Class". I mean, there were maybe 6 basic set ups and one location. That's an 8 day shoot, not 20! The car wreck scene should have been a 2nd unit deal, not tying up the main crew. Geesh! Jason Mann, the petulant, film-school dilettante and director/writer of this bomb,should think about a different career. Maybe he could become an annoying barista at a McDonald's? And HBO, maybe you can stop choosing inappropriate young directors just for the sake of that Reality TV, "goof on you" formula and get some real up and coming, talented directors to showcase. Then, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon should pay more attention to what's going on. It's your idea guys, your series. You were absent for most of this series and who likes absentee landlords?
edwagreen
No matter what others might say, I found this to be a very good film as it deals with relationships and how the truth ultimately comes out, in order to save the day.It is also a story of revelation and ultimate redemption. The film also sports an outstanding performance by Bruce Davison, as the senator who tries to live life among the elite, but when things start to come out, he reveals himself at the end as quite a character to boot. It is by far his best performance since him nominated performance in "Longtime Companion."The picture starts off quite comical with an off-the-wall brother suddenly appearing at his brother's engagement party. The latter is marrying into society and into a political family as well. He has hidden his true identity and has totally reinvented himself.The appearance of the brother begins to erode all that and with drunken evening pool parties, a near car crash and the ultimate revelations of the Davison (Sen.Ed) character, you know that the engagement shall not exactly bring forth marriage.The role of the women as rebellious, snobbish, intellectual and power-seeking are well revealed here.
Caleb Moore
I love the project green light idea and I think the show shines a light on just how difficult making a good movie is. The director scorned at the idea of making a traditional Hollywood film, well I hate to say he did just that and even worse. Pointless, story-less, no real interesting characters, and just flat out boring. I had to get a cup of coffee to make it past the first act. Why did the director fight so hard to make this on film? It was not an attractive film by any means? The director is the opposite of the famous b-movie director Ed Woods. Ed cared too little about the details and Jason cared too much. What good is it burning every bridge if this is your end result? Collaboration is what makes someone a great storyteller. We've seen egos ruing everything from star wars to the Godfather. Needless to say the next film that has Jason Mann as director will be something I'll avoid.
