Customer Reviews

Ripple Effect

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Ripple Effect is the DVD presentation of an award-winning film starring Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker, Academy Award nominee Virginia Madsen and Academy award nominee Minnie Driver. Weaving the tale of African-American cutting-edge clothing designer Amer Atrash, Ripple Effect explores a burgeoning crisis that threatens to destroy Atrash's business and his marriage. Re-examining himself, Atrash reasons that the source of his ills comes from a detrimental deed he committed fifteen years earlier, and sets out to atone for his wrong. In the process he undergoes a revitalization of the spirit, awakening to the value of compassion. An enduring and positive tale of human redemption, highly recommended. 83 minutes, 16:9 aspect ratio, color.

Came across this film purely accidentally but luckily caught it from the beginning and it was well worth investing in. It would be hard to describe the plot without giving too much away, but it is a beautiful story of karma, regret, guilt, adversity, love, marriage, and redemption. Other reviewers have already covered that anyway. The dialogue felt original, heartfelt, and sincere. Kudos to all the key actors for excellent dramatic performances. (Note the main protagonist is all the writer and director.) I've been waiting for another good story written from the heart (who says every movie has to be big budget blockbuster) and this is it. If you ever have questioned your place in the world and wondered how your past actions may have affected your present success/or lack of it, you may find this movie very interesting.

What are the sins of a man that weight him down
toward death? There are real events that hang on
our consciences? Here a fashion designer has to face his agony
of remorse and finds an unexpected result.
The end of the movie leaves the conflict of the theme unresolved for me.
The movie has great acting and is well written mostly, but
some of the elements are mysteries like why the rich friend
go back on his 12 million dollar promise.
For a movie that deals with fate and motivation,
the result is more artistic than constructive?

Once again I am ripped off by a group of well known actors cranking out a personal vanity piece to cash in on their names without delivering a solid product. There is very little production value, the editing is choppy, and the sound is pretty bad in spots. Very low budget garbage. There are a few parties of the overindulged at mansions to try and class up the joint, but the movie is more preachy than entertaining. The script is overly verbose and unrealistic. Minnie Driver is supposedly married to Forest Whitaker,(riiight) and even though she doesn't seem to have a compassionate bone in her body, she has selflessly devoted the last 15 years of her life to caring for her wheelchair bound husband, even though she was already cheating on him before he was struck by a car and paralyzed. In return, he accompanies her to a bar every night so that she can sing and play guitar until she sees someone that she would like to have sex with, all with hubbies blessing and complete lack of jealousy, even though he was planning to kill her before he was hit by the car because she was cheating on him. She claims she has to wipe his butt for him, even though his arms are in perfect working order. Not sure what that's all about. The director's character, funny hat guy, cries when his wife tells him to move out because he won't be able to see his daughter, the same daughter he constantly ignores as he feverishly works to get financing for his ugly clothing line. The movie is practically a runway fashion show with every scene involving a wardrobe change in order to "show off" the different outfits. There seems to be a little "one hand washing the other" with the wardrobe person providing services in exchange for a film credit and product placement.

I can't believe Forest Whitaker bothered to be a part of this, but I doubt the rest of them had anything better to do. It's basically just self promotion posing as a film with a message. The message seems to be; the first step to atonement is to forgive yourself, every cloud has a silver lining, don't neglect your family, Minnie Driver is still hot, do a good deed and you will make Donald Trump your bitch, some people wear funny hats, and Minnie Driver is still hot. Did I mention Minnie Driver is still hot? They must've gotten as bored as I was at the end, or ran out of money because they just showed some still shots of the happily reunited family and as the credits rolled, they inserted an entertainment news report on an unlikely teen idol wearing one of the Atrash replica army jackets that had been given to him by the designer's wife, leading to booming sales and a happy ending. We don't know how Minnie took the news about Forest wanting to kill her, so he may or may not be wiping his own butt now. Oops, ***this review contains spoilers.***