DVD Talk review of 'Naked in New York'

[jilliandoes]

I read Gil Jawetz's DVD review of Naked in New York at http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=12083 and... I couldn't disagree more.
I found this movie to be enchanting, and the acting wonderful. I've loved Eric Stoltz in Mask, Pulp Fiction, The Waterdance, and the House of Mirth, and think he's a fine underrated actor. If Mr. Jawetz wants to rave about bad smarmy actors, why not focus on Ben Affleck, or Judd Nelson, or even Bruce Willis?

I found his review to be, well, not even a review- but a petty little post that made it sound like he was rejected for a date. I tried to keep in mind that this is the reviewer who found Matthew Broderick 'tender and soulful' in Torch Song Trilogy, but even that didn't help.

Just last week I rented this movie and laughed quite a bit. I found it a terrific little tribute to lost young people who are looking for meaning in their lives. Mary Louise Parker was terrific, as was Kathleen Turner and Tony Curtis. It struck me as being in the same league as a Whit Stillman film.
Martin Scorcese produced this film, by the way. Yet another fact not included in this pseudo review.
Someone needs to review the reviewers, and perhaps tell them to stick to the film at hand. Some of us are interested in these films, rather than his snarky smarmy judgements.

[Gil Jawetz]

Thanks for the post. I'm actually being sincere. It's not often you get to discuss a review with a reader in a critical way that isn't just "OMG WTF!!!1! YOU SUXOR, N00B@!@!!@1111"

Anyway, I was perhaps to harsh on Stoltz, who I really liked in House of Mirth (a film I gave 5 stars, by the way) but he really rubbed me the wrong way in this film and he reminded me of a number of other too-hip films he's done that I didn't like. (For the record, I didn't criticize Affleck et al because they weren't in it!) And I didn't mention Scorsese because it wasn't germane to the film: I doubt you could pick out any influence he had on "Naked in New York."

What can I say? I really, really hated it. Despite what you say I think I did actually stick to the film. All my criticisms were based on things that I didn't like about the film itself, not something I brought to it. Maybe I took a little extra glee in bashing it, but I gotta say, for my experience, it's among the worst of a genre that I already think is pretty bad. Comparing it to "Torch Song Trilogy" (which I found incredibly moving) goes a long way toward pointing out its flaws. And so you don't think I should always be counted on to trumpet well-intentioned indie films, you might also want to read my review of Love! Valour! Compassion! It might cause you to start another thread! ;)