Geofferson

Has anyone seen this movie yet? After reading EW's glowing review and Ebert's 4-star review, I am eagerly anticipating this film.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/ebert...s-auto25f.html

Bobby Shalom

I was actually fairly underwhelmed by this. Competent, well-acted, interesting... yet as a whole... kinda...ehhhhh. It's like a made-for-TV-movie with some boobies. Wasn't dissapointed by it, just expected a whole lot more from Schraeder, Defoe, Kinnear.

Frank TJ Mackey

looking forward to it. I love hearing Greg K. says "Schmile"

Sunday Morning

My signature will tell you...

Dr. DVD

I'm going this afternoon, hopefully it is a good biopic.

devilpants

Saw this film a few weeks ago and expected to see a thread about it, alas there was none. This film is pretty good, a hellish vision of a TV show family man driven down the road to ruin by his overindulgences.

Paul Schrader has made his third biographical film (Mishima and Patty Hearst preceded this) and this is another fine story. Greg Kinnear and Willem Dafoe are excellent playing the swingers that troll the clubs working the Hogan's Heroes gimmick to score some action. Kinnear's resemblance to Bob Crane varies wildly through the film, sometimes to the story's detriment. Perhaps Kevin Bacon would have been a better choice, but I'm just quibbling. I recommend this film highly.

rkndkn

Saw this film a while back. I'm always impressed with Kinnear's work. I never for a moment felt he resembled Crane physically, though, and while not wholly appropriate, found myself thinking that of course the women would flock if you looked like Kinnear. My favorite moment was his sitting beneath the TV switched to "Hogan's Heroes" and his feigned embarassment when the woman recognizes him. I liked the depiction of the symbiotic relationship between Crane and Carpenter. Schrader always makes interesting films about the darker side of human nature.

Frank TJ Mackey

Saw it. Liked it.

Very somber but some funny moments and
Kinnear and Dafoe were great.

Aaron Amos

Any chance of a national release or will I have to wait for it on DVD?

Jack Straw

I'm definitely interested in seeing this movie, and will probably pick up the DVD when it gets released sometime next year. Hope there's lots of supplemental material of a lurid nature.

devilpants

One of Crane's sons has a small part in the film and gets a credit at the end of the picture as "Special Consultant". The other son from another marriage is the one with the Bob Crane website and got ejected from the industry preview screening for throwing a scene there. I read about it in the latest Gene Simmons' "Tongue" Magazine (!). There's pictures of Crane photographing his nudes and one has him poolside with Jayne Mansfield.

Tony Block

though, not as much as some of his other films. Then again, I think Schrader is a highly underrated director, and deserves much greater recognition then he's received.

Some of my favorite Schrader films, in no particular order, are:

Affliction
Light Sleeper
The Comfort of Strangers
Mishima
Patty Hearst
Cat People
American Gigolo
Hardcore
Blue Collar.

BTW, has anyone seen his film Touch?

cheers, Tony Block

P.S. Dafoe was extra super-creepy as Carpenter! No?

JumpCutz

Watched this again recently. Riveting and supremely underrated. Paul Schrader is on top of this material and Kinnear and Dafoe are brilliant.

Highly recommended. If you're not familiar with the source material google Robert Crane.

RIP Bob.... you depraved bastard.

Alan Smithee

I just got "Superdad" on DVD- I'll have to watch it then watch Autofocus again right after.

JumpCutz

Surprised this movie doesn't get more attention. Paul Schrader nails the material. Obviously the more you know about Robert Crane (Hogan's Heroes) the more interesting this film becomes. Kinnear has never been better, he's a revelation, especially his scenes with Liebman and Dafoe. It's incredibly sordid, while capturing the spirit of the era and the ushering in of some fascinating cultural shifts within the backdrop of the birth of the video age (porn).

If you're a fan of Willem Dafoe and you haven't seen this, you need to. I implore you. One of his best performances.

This film just gets everything right.

If at least one person here discovers this gem, it'll be worth the bump.

inri222

Excellent film. Paul Schrader sometimes doesn't get the credit he deserves for directing.
He has made some great ones.


Blue Collar
Hardcore
Affliction
Cat People
Mishima
Patty Hearst
American Gigolo
The Comfort of Strangers
Light Sleeper

Troy Stiffler

This is a really good movie. And it's from 11 years ago. I am getting old.

Geofferson

...and to think I started the thread. Been around here too long.

Good movie though. I should watch it again to see how it holds up.

Franchot

I've always enjoyed this film and agree that Schrader doesn't get the props he deserves. Also, agree that Kinnear and Defoe are outstanding in the film.

The Best Actor Nominees for the year are below (all gave very strong performances), so I can't say I'm disappointed that Kinnear or Defoe didn't get any traction at Oscar time.

ACTOR:
Nicolas Cage - "Adaptation"
Michael Caine - "The Quiet American"
Daniel Day-Lewis - "Gangs of New York"
Jack Nicholson - "About Schmidt"
WINNER: Adrien Brody - "The Pianist"

Mabuse

I wanted to see this when it came out and then it elluded me for years. I finally saw it on HDNet a few months back and it is outstanding. Dafoe is so good and the strugle for power within the relationship between the two guys is rendered so well. Highly recomended.

Supermallet

Loved this movie. Don't know why I didn't comment on it when I originally saw it. One of Schrader's best, IMO.

Why So Blu?

Great film. I have the DVD.

Finisher

Was blown away by this film. Schrader's either really, really good or really, really bad. I think this is his best effort as a director, ahead of Light Sleeper and Affliction.

hasslein

I really liked it. I liked that it portrayed Richard Dawson as a total prick. The only drawback, as stated in the commentary, Alex Meneses , Stefania from Everybody Loves Raymond was willing to do a nude scene until her agent or manager I forget which, nixed it.

Edit: Looking back, I thought it was the years best pic.

inri222