SummaryBased on Philip Roth’s novel, The Humbling tells the story of a legendary stage actor who has an affair with a lesbian woman half his age at a secluded country house in Connecticut. Simon Axler (Al Pacino) has known nothing but the stage since he was thirteen. When he feels his craft slip away from him, he has a mental breakdown and retr...
SummaryBased on Philip Roth’s novel, The Humbling tells the story of a legendary stage actor who has an affair with a lesbian woman half his age at a secluded country house in Connecticut. Simon Axler (Al Pacino) has known nothing but the stage since he was thirteen. When he feels his craft slip away from him, he has a mental breakdown and retr...
A strange yet unique film that seems to have trouble finding it's footing, even when spearheaded by Al Pacino and Greta Gerwig. On one hand it's a modern, almost surreal take on The Seagull, where Al Pacino takes the place of both Konstantin and Trigorin. On the other hand it's a weird exploration of aging and youth and the nastiness of relationships with an age gap. There are a few good scenes scattered throughout, but I had trouble focusing on this slow paced drama.
The Humbling is not really a commercial movie, it will not reach my country and it is not a transcendental film either, but its value lies in seeing Al Pacino acting again and apparently enjoying it, which undoubtedly adds enormous dimensions to this work.
This film is a simple work but well done, if you have the opportunity to see it, do not hesitate to do it.
Pacino in low doses can be fulsome, and this is 10,000 cc’s of super-concentrated Al and his patented air of electrified stuporousness — which means it’s always on the border between thrilling and insufferable.
With all the talent on tap — including screenwriter Buck Henry, who worked with Michal Zebede to adapt Philip Roth’s 2009 novel — you’d think we’d get something better than this outdated indulgence.
This must be a Woody Allen movie.
This is the begin of the end for Al Pacino,
the last movie before he' s dying probably.
A movie that shows what a life as that of Pacino's is alike, when no more work available, and getting old,
and backpain problems.
I left the movie playing in the background, while writing on my computer,
it is tranquille, boring, useless, and nobody was waiting for this useless movie.
Levinson has something else in mind, but unlike Pacino, he doesn't have a guide like Gerwig.
The Humbling
Levinson, truly and of course unknowingly, is digging his own grave. In the sense, that the major asset, the core theme, itself is obliged to corner itself out. The director, Barry Levinson is going in a new direction for sure. But this film about delusions fails to stage the theme productively. Primarily, there is no arc in the visions that he, Al Pacino does or doesn't have. There is no rhythm to tap on or to chase some loose end of the thread. Another issue is the hope that comes as a baggage while executing such a tricky plan. The audience is always at the brisk of their decisions waiting to run, leap or break into any bait given by the makers.
And that is some pressure to have while you are figuring out a way to peel off drama with these characters at this stage who are already numbed out, to be shook by any amount of intensity. Turn it to 11? Try more like 19. And now that I think about it, the film was never fiddling with some sensitive issue, I mean of course in terms of the genre. It was often derived from average films, so even if they'd nailed it on the mark, it was never going to out of the park.
Ergo, you start expecting to see some good performances. The film now relies upon it. Pacino at his age still oozes that sexiness that made him what he is. Broken and drunk, he overpowers Greta Gerwig with a more steady walk on the battlefield. Gerwig on the other hand, is left empty handed. There are scenarios where she is given props or avant-garde directions to flaunt her skills, but with a "supporting" tag, she is never in charge of The Humbling stage. P.S. finally someone who knocks like I do.
It is a so minimalistic film that achieved what I thought impossible ......to make me feel bored with the performance of Al Pacino. I really don't know if the script is not good or Al Pacino just gave up of acting.