28 Days (2000)

28 DAYS  4 / 5

[your rating for the movie]

  A big thanks to Pix for playing this gem. Never thought this could be a great one but it's there! I can't be honestly objective in this movie as it did touch me personally. Having said it, I can't seem to place it : seems like a chick-flick but it ain't; seems like film-noir but it blossoms with spring and sunshine too; seems simplistic and light for the subject discussed yet manages to delve well into the psyche... honestly, it's an intersection of sea-biscuit and one flew over the cuckoo's nest - possessing none of the grandness of either.

Film's weaknesses are few and far between, that one thinks there might have been just a little more complexity, emotion, darkness, and just a little more grandness? Maybe it doesn't require it. Maybe it's just a good movie that doesn't pretend to be great and therein innately so. I am surprised to find the director Betty White's recent venture was the Alvin and chipmunks squeakquel! She's been doing the rounds of comedy, chick-flicks and rom-coms in regular fashion! This movie stands out as the odd one in her resume. The style does show in the shots and scenes, yet the comedy and romantic angles mesh well with the narrative.

Sandra Bullock was never my favorite actress except in Speed, and after this, I am taking a 180 degree turn. She carries the plot, almost solely in many places and does it so fittingly. Sandra's Gwen is insensitive yet with her heart on the sleeve, flaky yet intelligent, witty yet incredibly stupid. The 28 days of her growth in Rehab is well done when one considers the incredibly short running time for the movie on such a subject. Even without such considerations Gwen will stay in your thoughts. All supporting casts are well-etched! Unforgettable are Eddie the pitcher (Viggo Mortensen)and the overly sensitive homosexual. In fact, the latter is quite endearing after a time!

Like the movie, this blog-review will be short! Why a movie from 2000 A.D you ask? I say, some are timeless and are as new as tomorrow!
" ... you can control the little things in you."

4/5