Hitchcock
Dir - Sacha Gervasi
98 mins, 12A
It's awards season, a time when a plethora of movies are released with the sole intention of picking up kudos from the Academy. Some succeed (as Argo and Lincoln will attest) some don't (as Skyfall's cruel snub from major awards demonstrates). Some, on the other hand, drop the ball so much that you wonder if they ever had a ball in their hands to begin with. 'Hitchcock' sadly falls into the latter camp.
The irony behind it all is that Hitchcock was a cinematic master, even his less respected works had a certain craft that many films of the era failed to match. He spoke fluent cinema. The story behind 'Hitchcock' lies in the making of Psycho, the alleged tale of what 'really happened' during the production. It's safe to say that Hitchcock wasn't a schizophrenic plotter of horrific murders and nor was Alma a cougar on the brink of infidelity, so on the 'true story' front the film fails. It's also safe to assume that Hitch didn't sound like a slightly older, sedated Alan Rickman.
Yes, you heard it here, Anthony Hopkins underwhelmed as Hitchcock, portraying him more akin to a caricature of Winston Churchill than a accurate channeling of the master of suspense; his make-up not baring any resemblance, sometimes fluctuating between a chubbier, bald Peter Kay and a caucasian Jabba the Hut. The usually reliable Helen Mirren also disappointed with her by-the-numbers super woman stereotype of Alma. The movie would've been more aptly titled 'Reville' as it centres more on her plight against her senile husband and her bogus affair. The supporting cast also fail to engage, with the exception of Scarlett Johansson who seems uncannily Leigh-esque.
This could've been so much better, but it isn't. The ever inspired, thrilling and creative director has been 'honoured' with a picture so pedestrian, flaccid and vacuous that he'd be turning in his grave. However, it did remind me what a good director Hitch was. Then again, I could get that same conclusion by watching Psycho.
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