I have read and heard much about Doug Liman's "Go" just in the past couple of days in local newspapers and among friends who saw it with me. Every review that I have read, and any person that I have talked to has made reference to Quentin Tarantino and "Pulp Fiction" in discussing "Go". Even if I hadn't known a thing about the movie before I saw it, I would have thought it myself. This just makes me realize how much Quentin Tarantino has influenced the modern film industry. Every since Tarantino's debut "Reservoir Dogs" (a better comparison to "Go") hit the screens in 1992, virtually hundreds of films have either tried to rip it off or have been highly influenced by it. Even the recent "Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" can easily be compared to the work of Tarantino.
I have heard many say that "Go" is a rip-off of "Pulp Fiction". This is hardly the case. Doug Liman takes some of Tarantino's conventions and creates his own interesting and funny story. "Go" is a wild ride that satisfied me from beginning to end, despite my huge respect for the superior work of Quentin Tarantino. Tarantino began a good trend and its not necessarily a bad thing that others are toying with it, especially when they create a piece of work as entertaining as "Go".
I didn't expect much from this movie, as I was not a fan of "Swingers", Liman's previous film, but I was so impressed that as I write this, I find myself wanting to go and watch it again.
The film begins with Ronna (Sara Polley), a grocery store clerk, just about to finish her shift. After her shift, she reluctantly takes a shift for her drug-dealing co-worker so that he can go to Las Vegas with his buddies. From here, the fun begins!!
"Go" unfolds its story through three separate, seemingly unrelated plots, which of course in the Tarantino tradition, all come together by the end. This is expected. What is interesting is the series of events that go on and how they are all connected
Ronna's story is played out first when two mysterious gentlemen, Zack (Jay Mohr) and Adam (Scott Wolf) approach her and want her to get them some Ecstasy. Ronna would normally get it from her friend who has gone to Las Vegas, so she has to find an alternate plan, a plan which just goes all wrong. We then shift to the next act which is the trip to Las Vegas, which in many ways is the most entertaining part of the film. I don't want to ruin it, but just let me tell you, there are lap dancers, "tantric" sex (their discussion on tantric sex is priceless) and a wild car chase. These boys just don't know how to behave! And finally is the third story of how Zack and Adam fit into the picture. I don't want to mention any more of the plot than I have because the real enjoyment of the film is watching everything unfold, and seeing how it all relates. Just let me say, every second is worth it.
"Go" is filled with many strong performances, especially from Sara Polley, who I have been a fan of for years. She has been in a great number of wonderful Canadian films such as "The Sweet Hereafter", "Last Night", "Exotica", and she also starred in the TV series "Road to Avonlea". She can also be seen in the upcoming David Cronenberg film "eXistenZ". Katie Holmes of the wretched "Disturbing Behavior" also pulls off a strong performance.
***1/2 out of ****
I have heard many say that "Go" is a rip-off of "Pulp Fiction". This is hardly the case. Doug Liman takes some of Tarantino's conventions and creates his own interesting and funny story. "Go" is a wild ride that satisfied me from beginning to end, despite my huge respect for the superior work of Quentin Tarantino. Tarantino began a good trend and its not necessarily a bad thing that others are toying with it, especially when they create a piece of work as entertaining as "Go".
I didn't expect much from this movie, as I was not a fan of "Swingers", Liman's previous film, but I was so impressed that as I write this, I find myself wanting to go and watch it again.
The film begins with Ronna (Sara Polley), a grocery store clerk, just about to finish her shift. After her shift, she reluctantly takes a shift for her drug-dealing co-worker so that he can go to Las Vegas with his buddies. From here, the fun begins!!
"Go" unfolds its story through three separate, seemingly unrelated plots, which of course in the Tarantino tradition, all come together by the end. This is expected. What is interesting is the series of events that go on and how they are all connected
Ronna's story is played out first when two mysterious gentlemen, Zack (Jay Mohr) and Adam (Scott Wolf) approach her and want her to get them some Ecstasy. Ronna would normally get it from her friend who has gone to Las Vegas, so she has to find an alternate plan, a plan which just goes all wrong. We then shift to the next act which is the trip to Las Vegas, which in many ways is the most entertaining part of the film. I don't want to ruin it, but just let me tell you, there are lap dancers, "tantric" sex (their discussion on tantric sex is priceless) and a wild car chase. These boys just don't know how to behave! And finally is the third story of how Zack and Adam fit into the picture. I don't want to mention any more of the plot than I have because the real enjoyment of the film is watching everything unfold, and seeing how it all relates. Just let me say, every second is worth it.
"Go" is filled with many strong performances, especially from Sara Polley, who I have been a fan of for years. She has been in a great number of wonderful Canadian films such as "The Sweet Hereafter", "Last Night", "Exotica", and she also starred in the TV series "Road to Avonlea". She can also be seen in the upcoming David Cronenberg film "eXistenZ". Katie Holmes of the wretched "Disturbing Behavior" also pulls off a strong performance.
***1/2 out of ****