Short Cuts

I watched this again recently, and its gloominess was much more apparent to me than it was five or six years ago when I saw it first. I suppose I take less for granted now, and I feel like I have a lot more to lose, so this film is less entertaining than it was. I believe it is phenomenal, and it is pure Altman, but it is too pessimistic to have a true lasting quality.

There are elements of hope and joy, of course, such as Tom Waits and Lily Tomlin partying it up and Lyle Lovett trying to make amends to Casey's parents, and this film is soberly realistic, but I don't care to see it again any time soon. It is a feat, and a magnificent product of Altman's precise vision and portrayal of the stories the film is based on. It is provocative, and emotional, and shocking, and funny, and true to life, but it is not satisfying. I don't think that is the point of the film, anything like this needs to be open ended and leave room for individual conjecture, but I also feel that Short Cuts is simply too negative to stand up as one of Altman's best. It is his grandest film, even Nashville pales in comparison in that regard, as the stories become one story with signature Altman patience.

Jack Lemmon has one of the most memorable roles, as Casey's grandfather, and holds it up with his characteristic shtick and underrated capacity for depth. Tim Robbins chimes in as the power hungry alpha-idiotic CHIPman. His half intolerably disgusting half hilarious portrayal makes this gloomy movie a little brighter. If it weren't for his acting in this part, actually, the film would be too colorless to be bearable. Waits and Tomlin are ideally cast, as are Downey and Penn. I can't stand Andie McDowell, so I won't bother saying anything about her role; Julianne Moore and Modine have good chemistry like they were made to act together; I love Fred Ward in his part... and Huey Lewis makes the whole show.

The themes and plots of this ogrous film are depressing to think about. There was a time when I was delighted in the base cinema of it, but that time is no more. I'd rather watch a piece of crap like Proof of Life again than sit through this heavy masterpiece any time soon. When I saw the film again my happy memories of watching it were torn from their beds and given an IV of strong coffee while rotten fruit was shoved in their mouths. Short Cuts is a monster of a film, and has plenty of redeeming elements and numerous points of brilliance, but I don't want it anymore.