Product Details

• Actors: Hugo Weaving, Tony Martin (II), Aaron Jeffery, Paul Sonkkila, Michael Caton
• Directors: Craig Monahan
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: New Yorker Video
• VHS Release Date: May 8, 2001
• Run Time: 103 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005ASS4
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #375,948 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Subtle and gripping, April 23, 2003

By 

"jburton75" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Interview (DVD)

I'm not even going to bother comparing this to "The Usual Suspects." This is not a hard-boiled movie like the aforementioned, but it does have moments of emotional release and stylized violence. Subtlety is the modus operandi in this film. Director Craig Monahan propels the cast toward a creepy conclusion that answers all lingering questions, yet leaves many avenues of debate open long after the film ends. I found "The Interview" to be a fascinating and insightful portrayal of flawed characters to whom I could relate in many cases. Hugo Weaving delivers some chilling work that Kevin Spacey could only dream of nailing with such believability.

In addition to top-notch acting, the cinematography was also excellent. The variation in camera angles and film speeds was again subtle and masterful in its creation of a dark, unsteady environment.

Ultimately, in my opinion, this is a movie that stays with you long after the credits roll at the end. I highly recommend it.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Movie, March 15, 2001

By 

Steven "pariah231" (Tucson, AZ, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Interview (DVD)

Okay, I lied about having seen the DVD, but I've seen it in the theater and I thought someone should get the ball rolling with a few thoughts about the movie itself.

Hugo Weaving you will either remember from "Pricilla, Queen of the Desert" or "The Matrix" depending upon whether great cinematography and acting (in the first case) or expensive special effects and editing (in the second) opens your wallet at the local cineplex. Weaving gives an amazing, better-than-Oscar quality performance in this recent take on the police interrogation movie. In the opening scene his apartment is raided by some very aggressive police... gosh, if I tell you about it, it will lose all of its impact. Better not to tell.

Suffice it to say that if you liked "Glengary GlenRoss", "The Trial", "Under Suspicion" and/or "The Usual Suspects", if you like to see an actor wrap himself around a role, and if you like a nice plot twist or two, buy this film. Twice.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid Australian film borrows from American predecessors, June 7, 2001

By 

phimseto (Chestnut Hill, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Interview (DVD)

It is probably only right that the process work both ways. American cinema gobbles up Australian talent, from Mel Gibson and Judy Davis to Russell Crowe and Nicole Kidman, so it's fair play when Australian cinema imports elements familiar to the American crime film genre.

"The Interview" stars Hugo Weaving, now known to American audiences as Agent Smith in "The Matrix" and Elrond in "The Lord of the Rings" films. The movie gets off to a jarring start, reminiscent of Franz Kafka's "The Trial", as Weaving's character Fleming is arrested, dragged into the police station, and questioned with no idea if he is being accused of something or what that crime might be.

From there, the film borrows elements here and there from recent American crime movies like "Internal Affairs", "The Usual Suspects", "Seven", and "Presumed Innocent". The common thread linking these films is the omnipresent theme of "The Interview" - what is the truth and how far can or will a person go to find it. A workmanlike script benefits from a talented cast, headlined by Weaving but also complimented by Tony Martin as the lead interrogator, Aaron Jeffrey as hot-headed cop Prior, and Michael Caton as a savvy beat reporter.

Although many American viewers might find "The Interview" a little too overly familiar in some spots, the solid script and the skilled acting make it a worthy and recommendable film. It's smart, and it handles its territory efficiently.

One technical note - as of the day of this review, the technical details of the DVD do not list it as being widescreen. For all you widescreen fanatics like myself, take heart. The film is indeed widescreen, presented in its original aspect ratio. Enjoy.