Summary:David is a successful lawyer who can't stand the fact that Manhattan is a place where it's too noisy to get a good night's sleep, listen to classical music, or even make love to his wife without disturbance. Every time David hears a car alarm going off, he swings into action. Adopting the guise of "The Rectifier," he engages in acts ofDavid is a successful lawyer who can't stand the fact that Manhattan is a place where it's too noisy to get a good night's sleep, listen to classical music, or even make love to his wife without disturbance. Every time David hears a car alarm going off, he swings into action. Adopting the guise of "The Rectifier," he engages in acts of vandalism that satisfy him immensely but which generate no end of grief from his wife. They also make him politically controversial when he provokes the ire of the city's arrogant mayor. (THINKFilm)…Expand
With all due respect, the criticism that "sounds of city living" pale in comparison to global warming, terrorism, and economic collapse misses, from my viewing, the obvious metaphor that that same forces that propel the usage of car alarms (which have proven to be ineffective in reducing With all due respect, the criticism that "sounds of city living" pale in comparison to global warming, terrorism, and economic collapse misses, from my viewing, the obvious metaphor that that same forces that propel the usage of car alarms (which have proven to be ineffective in reducing theft) are the same that continue to cause global warming and economic colllapse. I agree there might be too many ideas jockying for supremacy but the call to look beyond the surface and stand alone, if need be, against these forces resonates throughout. Actually, the film (which carries some very witty dialogue) is prescient in this sense: after all, we did stand up and elect President Obama: the film inspires the hope that, even if we start with city noise, we can pull together to stop billion dollar no-bid contracts for trillion dollar, unnecessary wars. As David (Tim Robbins) declares, what if Jonas Salk had made appeasement with polio. The director has enough sense to encase the Dr. Salk reference, with an awareness of its delusions of grandeur, in one of the film's sweetest scenes of husband and wife teasing and embracing on a quiet sofa. Is that really too much to ask?…Expand
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6
JayH.
Sep 10, 2008
Fine story with solid direction and a great screenplay. The cast is terrific and it is always interesting and well paced.
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2
KenG.
Nov 30, 2008
Yeah, in a world of global warming, terrorism, and economic collapse car alarms and other natural sounds of city living are among the world's biggest problems. This is just a ridiculous story, filled with ridiculous characters. Also, from a narrative standpoint, it is kind of an Yeah, in a world of global warming, terrorism, and economic collapse car alarms and other natural sounds of city living are among the world's biggest problems. This is just a ridiculous story, filled with ridiculous characters. Also, from a narrative standpoint, it is kind of an incorhent mess.…Expand