Death Defying Acts (2007) Reviews
- Starring:
- Guy Pearce, Catherine Zeta-Jones, (more)
- Director(s):
- Gillian Armstrong
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- NR
Member Rating
My RatingAverage Ratings
15 out of 16 people found this review helpful A very pleasant surprise. I'd never heard of this movie until I saw it on the rack, so my expectations weren't very high. I rented it out of respect for Pearce and Zeta-Jones and was rewarded with a ... Read More A very pleasant surprise. I'd never heard of this movie until I saw it on the rack, so my expectations weren't very high. I rented it out of respect for Pearce and Zeta-Jones and was rewarded with a top-shelf production similar in tone and look to The Prestige and The Illusionist from a couple years back. Compared with those films, Death Defying Acts relies less on red herrings and more on the well-crafted relationship between the lead characters. Guy and Catherine have never been better and phenomenal teen actress Saoirse Ronan delights in every scene. Don't miss it. Close this Review WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL? Yes | No | ||
11 out of 11 people found this review helpful It is true the Movie Details description is utterly misleading. This film focuses on a love affair as well as an obsession with issues of the after life and such. As an offbeat character study, the ... Read More It is true the Movie Details description is utterly misleading. This film focuses on a love affair as well as an obsession with issues of the after life and such. As an offbeat character study, the film succeeds. Guy Pearce is a bit uneven in this. The classical style music score is very beautiful as is the cinematography. I enjoyed the film. But, it is not really about Houdini's life and career as a whole. It focuses solely on one extramarital relationship and also how he ultimately died. Having understood that from reading about the story line (from an outside source) in advance of watching it, I found the movie enjoyable. Close this Review WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL? Yes | No | ||
10 out of 11 people found this review helpful This should've been amazing--4 great actors, fascinating historical springboard, crew talent, etc. Instead, the story as a whole fails to be anywhere near satisfying. (Note for parents: the rating ... Read More This should've been amazing--4 great actors, fascinating historical springboard, crew talent, etc. Instead, the story as a whole fails to be anywhere near satisfying. (Note for parents: the rating should be PG-13--not sure how this got a PG.) With the exception of Benji, the characters are opaque and their arcs weird and incomplete; their relationships unconvincing, and worst, the obvious "morals" of the story are totally lame. I have no problem with taking artistic liberty with interesting historical figures, but the premise of this is already so shaky (considering Houdini's actual relationship with his wife Bess) that this story ends up feeling shaky (even the romance is totally unconvincing). Such a shame, because there was so much potential. I have to blame the producers/director, as technically talent as they are. The commentary made me more disappointed when I found they had so much time to develop this and yet didn't work through some of the more obvious problems in the script. Close this Review WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL? Yes | No | ||
6 out of 7 people found this review helpful I don't know if this was based on a novel, as "Oscar and Lucinda" was, but it's a deceptively pretentious film. "Oscar and Lucinda" was depressing but unforgettable; never saw another film like it ... Read More I don't know if this was based on a novel, as "Oscar and Lucinda" was, but it's a deceptively pretentious film. "Oscar and Lucinda" was depressing but unforgettable; never saw another film like it and probably never will see one. "Death Defying Acts" aspires to that exact same formula--quirky, complicated heroine, troubled and weak-willed hero...and a plucky trendy child-star thrown in, maybe because the plot's so stupid. I rented this because I thought it was based on a real incident; it's not. Close this Review WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL? Yes | No | ||
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful Despite the presence of two well known actors, the Welsh Catherine Zeta Jones and the Australian Guy Pearce as an American sounding Houdini this fictional story of how the magician met and fell in ... Read More Despite the presence of two well known actors, the Welsh Catherine Zeta Jones and the Australian Guy Pearce as an American sounding Houdini this fictional story of how the magician met and fell in love with an con artist is unconvincing at best. Perhaps it's the acting or the writing but I found myself unmoved by these 2 generally fine actors although the little girl from "Atonement" was excellent and better than the two leads. Director Gillian Anderson (My Brilliant Career, Little Women) has also done better work but it's not apparent here. To me this seemed like a Lifetime movie, well done but instantly forgettable. Close this Review WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL? Yes | No | ||
6 out of 8 people found this review helpful I rented this movie so that my mom and I would have something to watch on thanksgiving while the guys are watching football.
we put it in...we did watch the whole thing. we found ourselves saying ... Read More I rented this movie so that my mom and I would have something to watch on thanksgiving while the guys are watching football.
we put it in...we did watch the whole thing. we found ourselves saying every 5 minutes... "this is going to pick up.. I know it will"
only to be mad and dissapointed at the end.
It was boring all through out. I love catherine zeta- jones.. but COME ON!
I do not recommend this movie. two thumbs down. Close this Review WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL? Yes | No | ||
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