Customer Reviews

Purple Violets

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Imagine a Woody Allen film without Jazz music, without references to Dostoevsky, Nietzsche and the Marx Brothers, without existential questioning but with similar themes - broken marriages, second chances - and some similar characters (there is usually a hysterical woman in a Woody Allen film and Purple Violets has one as well).

Edward Burns, I feel, is the next director to keep an eye on. The film's plot is relatively straight-forward: two guys (Burns, Wilson), two girls (Messing, Blair), they used to know each other, are slowly coming back into each other's lives. The two guys have been friends for a long time, the two girls have been friends for a long time. Reconciliation, being true to yourself... other themes which emerge making the film lovely, solid and very approachable.

I would guest 65% of the film is devoted to Blair and Wilson's characters whereas Messing and Burns follow-through with some comedic moments. He is a recovering alcoholic, trying to put the past right and she won't forgive him for the way he was. So the sexual tension proves to bring a good balance to the depth and romance between Blair and Wilson.

If you enjoy Woody Allen or previous films by Burns (She's The One, The Brothers McMullen) you will enjoy this one. He has the pace and tone of Allen but he is becoming more of his own. I was impressed with the pace, the authenticity of emotions and the nuances. It doesn't offer typical Hollywood bullsh-t - it offers more and is probably more genuine and truer to life than the formulaic tripe slipping across our movie theatre screens.

Definitely worth a look.

Written by, produced by, directed by, and starring Edward Burns, one has to believe that Burns' soul is in this film. But, for a man, this is all about Selma Blair.

This is a story of second chances, and how, through determination, perseverance, understanding, and love, we can sometimes make better choices than the first time round, and arrive at better outcomes. But it's never easy. Nothing that matters is easy.

The soundtrack is a series of mood pieces, and is very beautiful and soul stirring. The characters are irreverant, needful, full of potential, always earnest (the main ones are!), and in the end triumphant (again, the ones we care about are). All the aching sadness along the way leads to a glorious and inspiring end.

Selma Blair has a breakout role. Her acting is inspired, captivating, and stunningly good. She is a brilliant sunburst of energy. If there is any justice, this role will mark the point where she emerges as a brilliant and mature actress and embarks on a long and honored career.

We don't often get to see Selma Blair play good roles - she took front and center in this film and did a wonderful job of acting. I love her work, but not enough films with her playing good roles - the movie didn't do her any justice by having her play a role with another woman. The movie overall has a great cast. If you have kids, I'd suggest not allowing them to see this. Also, check out the music in the film - I always wait until the end and jot them all down... and usually the soundtracks are missing the good songs - so it's off to iTunes or amazon.com to download. If you are a Selma Blair fan - or a fan of any of these actors/actresses - check out the film. Hope to see Selma in more upcoming films where she can use her talent.

Intelligent, inspirational, well thought movie about real emotions. If you've ever believed in love, and how time subdues emotions but never severing the suppressed feelings of a long lost love.

A fortuitious encounter at a restaurant sparks emotions, and rekindles the past. It's about second chances, and how people change; letting go of bitterness and believing in something or someone.

As in any relationship, knowing who you are and what's important; taking time heal and getting to know yourself. Believing in yourself and your abilities, taking chances; those who risk win.

Did not expect much but was pleasantly surprised. Only
reason I did not give it 5 stars is I would reserve that
for something Oscar worthy. Really good movie if you are
looking for a light comedy/drama.

I love director Edward Burns movies. They touch the heart and open your mind to situations you never thought of before. Some make you laugh, some make you stop and go yea, I get it, and some make you do both. He writes and directs in a way that you can really relate to the situation and the characters. Purple violets is a great movie with the great Edward Burns touch. I would highly recommend this movie to anyone whether you are fan of Edward Burns movies or not. Very entertaining.

I don't know how this movie did at the theatre but I really like it. The story line, the actors, and the timeline makes this a story that we can all relate to. Plus the music is awesome, I am in my 40's and can watch this movie over and over.

If you're familiar with Ed Burns' films and generally like them, you'll like this one. The dialogues are rich and real-life (always a good thing) and a welcome change from the normal Hollywood-treat-me-like-I'm-a-ten-year-old type movies. I enjoyed the style of filming especially in the few sections where there's a lot said and expressed without dialogue. It isn't a true chick flick film...even my husband enjoyed it (which is saying a lot). Overall A+ and a must buy.

I was rooting for this but I can't get behind it. The characters are just cardboard cutouts and their is no point to the story. I know it's a Hollywood tradition to depict New Yorkers as living charmed lives, but none of this rang true and it doesn't even qualify as charming. I think Ed Burns needs to come down out of his penthouse and remind himself how real people live and love.

The acting was stellar, and the casting is what enticed me to buy it. The male actors are HOT, HOT, HOT mofo's! I think the film visually had an attraction for me also. BUT. I wanted more depth and meaning in the characters and story. The character dialogue was shallow, and the story just kinda moved along without really letting you in on any real revelation. This movie had potential though. I think that if the director had spent a longer time on the actors' expressions and improvised acting, perhaps he could have done something different with the film. To tell you the truth, the film felt kinda empty. And, well, I like feeling empty sometimes.