dyer (03/09/83)
I don't know whether this has been discussed to death already (decvax's recent problems cut us off from netnews), but having seen several comments on the movie today, I thought I'd add my own opinions. TYoLD is very worth seeing, but is ultimately flawed. It's being billed as a love story, but that isn't what makes the movie interesting. Rather, Billy Kwan, a dwarf and a photojournalist, is the central focus of the movie: he gives the movie its momentum and its charm. He is played by an actress, Linda Hunt, who gives a remarkable performance. After this intelligent, sensitive and vibrant character, Mel Gibson and Sigourney Weaver look pretty pasty and lifeless--they're attractive in a shallow sort of way. Unfortunately, when Kwan drops out of the picture, all we're left with is the love story, and this just can't carry the film up to its ultimately sentimental conclusion. The ending reminded me a bit of Casablanca, but CB was a much tougher film. Nevertheless, the exotic backdrop, Kwan's character, and Peter Weir's ability to generate wonderfully resonant images make it worth seeing. /Steve Dyer