Paul Shrader, rather renowned in his role of screenwriter (Scorsese's Driver or De Palma's Obsession) impeccably takes charge in his directorial debut. Needless to say, the writing is excellent, with sound pacing & change of character's attitudes as the stakes evolve. The treatment of a heavy topic mixes dramatic tones (e.g. tax-collecting scene), seriousness & depth (notably thanks to a grand & radical speech), and a welcome humour full of wisecracks (and a hilarious disguise during the heist!). What considerably raises the movie's worth is its substance and truth value: representing the misery of the working class and how it is maintained, from both internalist & externalist POVs.
米克
2022-03-22 11:31:33