Customer Reviews

Romeo is Bleeding

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I am one of those people who have seen so many movies, and read so many books that I can usually figure out a plot line quite early on in any film. But this movie has so many unique twists, I was literally "on the edge of my seat" the first time I saw it. It's a wild ride as we watch Gary Oldman self-destruct as the corrupt, womanizing cop on the wrong side of the mob. Lena Olin's performance as the Russian assassin, is, simply, priceless. This is one of the very best "action" movies I've seen. I recommend it to Oldman fans, "cop 'n gangster" fans, or anybody who just likes a really good movie! And don't miss Roy
Scheider as a Don! I'm deliberately keeping my comments sparse,
because I don't want to give away ANYTHING about this movie to those of you who haven't seen it. Just see it!

Romeo is Bleeding could have been a quintessential new film noir classic. The plot line was thrilling, and Lena Olin was particularly mysterious and devious as the Russian hitwoman. Needless to say, Gary Oldman's performance was stellar as the duplicitous cop. However, the DVD version cuts a very crucial scene. I saw this movie at the theatre when it was released. There is a scene in which Gary Oldman shoots Lena Olin in the arm before putting her in handcuffs; instead of going to a hospital, they get into a fight. While he's driving, she's in the back seat of the car attacking him with the only weapons available to her at the time--her legs. Eventually Gary Oldman crashes his car, and Lena Olin runs away from him (handcuffed, no less),then, rather than go to a hospital, she retreats to her apartment where she cuts off her own arm with a power saw. This scene was brutally shocking, but it augmented the sinister dynamic of Lena Olin's character. More importanly, it explained how she became armless. This was the kind of scene that put the viewer on the edge of his seat anxiously awaiting the unfolding of the next event. Cutting that particular scene caused major incongruity because when Gary Oldman and Lena Olin crash the car, she fights with him and then runs away, hands cuffed behind her back, and at that point, the movie immediately cuts to a scene in which her arm is missing, with nothing in between--no explanation for the missing arm. Anyone who hasn't seen the movie before is going to be confused. The viewer will be left wondering what the heck happened to her arm. This will leave you very frustrated because for the remainder of the film you'll be wondering how she became an armless hitwoman. That was one scene that should not have ended up on the cutting floor. The film editors made a huge error in judgment.

Most of the aspects of this film have been well covered in the other reviews; Gary Oldman's character, etc. Although the plot is occasionally lacking in continuity, one can easily fill in the gaps. I did want to mention the extraordinarily atmospheric music by Mark Isham, especially the closing piece; where you can hear the groaning and moans of the film's demonic beings - Jack, a relatively ordinary soul, finding himself in a world peopled by devils in human form like Mona DeMarkoff and Don Falcone. Another point: Jack Grimaldi, Oldman's character, is the name of a famous circus clown; I wonder if that was intentional. The dreams, the Hole, Olin's insane laughter, the shots of the dead in the swimming pool and the FBI agents ("those Feds didn't come out too good...") sprayed by DeMarkoff sprawled in the bloodstained room as the light fixture swings back and forth, Nick Gazzara's "stank like a m*thaf***! Hahahahahahaha", Oldman's introduction at the Holiday Diner; for me, this film contains a great many moments that are extraordinarily atmospheric, poignant and original. And terrifying.

Romeo is Bleeding could have been a classic as a new film noir. The plot line was thrilling, and Lena Olin was particularly mysterious and devious as a Russian hitwoman. Needless to say, Gary Oldman's perfomance was stellar as the duplicitous cop. However, the DVD version cuts a very crucial scene. I saw this movie at the theatre when it was released. There is a scene in which, after Gary Oldman shoots Lena Olin in the arm, instead of going to a hospital, crashed his car, runs away from him (handcuffed, no less),then she cuts off her own arm. This scene was brutally shocking, but it augmented the sinister dynmaic of Lena Olin's character, and it explained how she became armless. Also this scene put the viewer on the edge of his seat anxiously awaiting subsequent scenes. Cutting this scene caused such incongruity because in the scene where Gary Oldman and Lena Oldman crash the car, she fights with him and then runs away, hands cuffed behind her back. The movie immediately cuts to a scene in which here arm is missing, with nothing in between--no explanation for the missing arm. Anyone who hasn't seen the movie before is going to be confused. The viewer will be left wondering what the heck happened to her arm. I have been unable to find the uncut version. If anybody out there knows where I can find one, please let me know. That was a bad scene to edit.

What this great film shows is how much some viewers THINK they know about noir-cinema but how little they really do. This film is one of the few that'll make you say Wow! when you just finish it. Not only because of Olin, Gary Oldman makes his part so well that it's almost impossible to imagine somebody else in it. This is really one of the best and most interesting pieces of film noir (which means getting deep down the darkest human feelings and being able to show it on the screen) and that you'll be able to see in a long time. To compare it with such an overrated piece of parafernalia like Pulp Fiction is to show how little you understood or what a small number of noir films you have seen. Rent it, watch it, own it -you'll thank Mr. Medak for it.

Probably everyone has one favorite movie that they consider "their own" because few, if any, of their friends share their admiration for it. Mine is this one. I just love this film.

It is only one out of over 5,000 movies have either rented or purchased that I watched back-to-back nights after seeing it for the first time. A dozen viewings later, It's still just as good, if not better. It is, start-to-finish, the most entertaining crime movie I have ever watched.

Being of fan of film noir, those wonderfully-narrated crime films of the '40s and '50s, Romeo Is Bleeding is right up my alley. I may be wrong but believe this whole film is simply a parody of the film noirs: an outrageous take on those movies with an over-the-top villain (Lena Olin, the most fascinating female I have ever come across on film), along with over-the-top characters, action scenes, dialog and narration. It's a wild, fun - albeit sick - ride, not to be taken seriously (which a lot of people did and then thought it was too goofy). Evidence of this film-noir spoof is in the dialog, with a number of fantastic dark-humor lines, many delivered by Olin. One has to see this a number of times to catch all the humor in here. Kudos to screenplay writer Hilary Henkin for her work.

Oldman is superb and its the glue that holds this unique story in tact. His narration, including the exaggerated inflection in his voice, is fantastic. I appreciate the American accent this British actor used, too. Olin, as Russian hit- woman Mona Demarkoff, she is one character I guarantee you will not ever forget. Roy Scheider, Annabella Sciorra, Juliette Lewis, Michael Wincott and others - cameos by Dennis Farina and Ron Perlman - all deliver great performances with lines that, well,....as I said, are outrageous.

If you love the old film noirs, please check this movie out and remember it's tongue-and-cheek.

If there's one thing Peter Medak (director) has succeeded in doing above all else, it's the head spinning number of themes and emotional avenues he has managed to explore in this craftly scripted nightmarish Gary Oldman flick. From one scene to the next, we go through comedy (Mona Demarkov's attack on Jack in the car), high drama (Jack's wife's confrontation of his infidelity), high octane set pieces (Jack's accidental shooting of his mistress) to pure horror and revulsion (burying the crime boss alive). And yet, when all this is said and done, Romeo is Bleeding has at it's core a very simple and touching love story. That despite the main character's flaws, his intentions are always good and his love for his wife unending. It's this, and this alone, that guarantees your emotional tie to the film. The ending is, beyond question, one of the saddest, most tragic outcomes for any movie hero, or protagionist for that matter. There's been times when I haven't even caught the whole movie, waltzed in at the ending and been upset by it. Even the most hard nosed critics and stone hearted detractors would have a hard time refuting this climax for sheer emotional ferocity. Romeo is Bleeding isn't easy watching (at times, it's downright frustrating), but for those who stay on the nightmare bus till it's final, downbeat ending, the results are alot more affecting than at first thought possible.

This is a brilliant film. The color treatment used, the sultry weather, the character development, and the plot twist and turns. To disagree with Adorno and Benjamin, film can be art. I agree that many American film viewers love films with mindless plots shoved down their throats. Many U.S. films reveal their endings before the opening credits are shown. Like Art, not all films are simple (have a standard plot), and not all great films need or want a simple plot. This film has a great plot, although it has used before (but how many original plots are there available?). However, what is fresh is the dark exploration of the film's main character Jack. The characters in this film are real. In real life, many people do not grapple with the "evil they do". Many never believe they are evil. In this film, Jack only regrets being caught, or having bad luck. He never learns, and I do not think he thinks he is ever a bad person. In addition, the good guy does not win, nor is there a convenient tragedy to end the film. Instead, reflecting life, the characters must live (or die) drenched in their imperfections. In this film, the characters find no easy answers to their life dilemmas. It is a brilliant film in the score, the acting, the filming, and the presentation. Way over most viewers palate level I am afraid.

And take it, he did! A cop working to entrap dirty, rotten mobsters finds out quickly just how soiled HE is in this filthy little romantic satire. Gary Oldman is the cop with his hand in everything . . . and up everything. Lena Olin is fabulous as the beautiful but evil temptress and mobster's moll. But fear not! She's no sweetheart to feel pity for. There is no mucking about in this story with shedding tears for the ruined virgin. If a woman can be a rapist, then look no further. This is a story of pure obsession, and a desire to possess without reason. Murder, torture, adultry, there are no rules. I became so tightly drawn in by these characters, that I forgot what the hell the cop was doing there to begin with! You'll find no good-guys, either, try as you might. I have never cheered so hard for the bad ones to win as I have in this movie. Lena Olin is just so rotten you'll look side-ways at your kids for the rest of your life. Gary Oldman, the upholder of the law, fumbles that particular ball non-stop, and he likes it! You will, too.

I'll start by saying that I am not a big fan of Gary Oldman, but boy does he give a terrific performance in this movie. He played a cop on the take and not a very sympathetic one at that. He crosses paths with a very nasty Lena Olin who must have had the time of her life playing the Russian assassin. The ending was fantastic. Parts of the movie were pretty gory, but I really believe necessary. This was just an excellent film. Don't pour yourself a bottle of wine to watch this though. Pop a brew and grab a bag of chips..