My friend and I first saw this movie in the mid-eighties on the recommendation of a video store clerk. That was probably the best tip we ever got from a video store clerk (and we got a lot of them… we had a lot of free time on our hands).
Now, about 20 years later, much of the detail of the movie had faded from memory. I couldn’t remember more than a couple of scenes, let alone how it ended. All I really knew was that I loved it and that I had witnessed pure talent. What stuck with me most from that first viewing were three things: the hedge maze from the beginning (I love those things), the excellent writing, and the superb acting.
Sleuth began its life as an extremely successful two-man play, and the movie seems to be staged very similarly—you can almost picture the sets laid out on the stage, the actors demanding your full attention—and in this movie, that’s a treat. Olivier and Caine provide brilliant performances, and both were nominated as Best Actor for 1972′s Oscars (the award went to Brando for The Godfather).
The plot is superbly spun. I don’t want to give anything away, but by the end you’ll be guessing about who to believe about anything. This is a story that—for the most part—doesn’t treat the audience like idiots. You actually have to pay attention, listen, and think to fully grasp what is happening. There isn’t enough of that in most movies these days.
While I really do love this movie, the verbal fencing match (which is both well done and necessary) does slow the pacing down in the first act, and a bit of the second, which means it can’t pull in the coveted 5 star rating I’d love to give it. It’s a solid 4 star film, though. Easily one of the best mystery movies I’ve ever seen. Twice now, I didn’t see the end coming.
(In visiting IMDB to get the link above, I ran across this remake planned for 2008. Caine returns, but takes the Olivier role and Jude Law steps in as Milo. With Kenneth Branagh directing, this could be an excellent movie. Sadly, I doubt it will be a box-office success, but I hope I’m proven wrong.)
[tags]Sleuth, mystery, play, movie, murder, Michael Caine, Lawrence Olivier, Jude Law[/tags]
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