all 7 comments

[–]SierraKiloBravo 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (6 children)

I've heard good things about this. Am looking forward to watching it.

[–]JasonCarswell[S] 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (5 children)

I was just browsing new shares, saw it, read about it, and knew nothing about it. At all. I feel like I should have heard about it somewhere. So I thought I'd post about it as it seems up SaidIt's alley. My friendly copy just finished. Maybe we can compare notes after.

[–]SierraKiloBravo 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (4 children)

I don't think it got a wide release here in AU, so we are keeping an eye for it to arrive on streaming or in the local DVD dispenser. Love a good based-on-a-true-story drama!

[–]JasonCarswell[S] 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

SPOILER-FREE Review

It's no Erin Brockovich, but it's similar and aspires to be.

IMO, the home life and relationships are melodramatic trying too hard to bring flatly presented characters to life and to show how they struggle (trying to gain emotional connection with the audience through sympathy for the injustices and for their sacrifices ?) in under conceptualized scenes with weak staging, on the nose dialogue without context, nuance, or deeper meaning. It drags early on so it's good but not great, even if the edit were tightened. If you can get past the first half then you're engaged and you'll be rewarded because it got bigger than I expected (but now I've talked it up to much so reset your expectations). The movie starts set in 1999 moving forward to 2012 but oddly it feels like its starting in the 70s or 80s or early 90s, especially how it's shot and processed. By 2009 onward the sets fit better, but the colour timing is still retro and dark hampering the cinematography. Also, I bought his 2012 Nokia phone in 98 or 99, but with a blue-purple sheen.

I like that it doesn't talk down to the audience (save the melodrama) by limiting the science and legal jargon too much, though I would have liked it if they pushed it further (as is my preference), but that requires more skill to make sure that what might fly over some heads won't be confused for missing critical details. In short, challenge the audience with more details - but don't lose them. Ultimately it was perfectly clear and that's far better than not, so maybe that's all it really needed to be.

Great topic, terrific cast, excellent cinematography (constrained by the genre, but still could have been more stylized), a strong linear unfolding of events, clear legal presentations, even a few great quotable soundbites, and a great closing credits song, "I Won't Back Down" sung by Johnny Cash instead of Tom Petty. Rarely did I ever think, "Hulk smash!" Always did I think Anne Hathaway was overacting, milking every scene, every second, as if an OscaRazzie depended on it.

The most important moment, the climax, was completely internalized, undersold, and blandly shot.

Conclusion:
It's a good movie and it's sad that it's not great, attracting more attention to the important case.

" The release of Dark Waters on November 12 saw DuPont's stock price drop by 7.15 points from 72.18 to 65.03. DuPont CEO Mark Doyle, executives, and investors argued in separate statements that much of the movie was not based in fact and DuPont was misconstrued to fit the role of the enemy. Doyle also suggested possible legal action. Many of the executives whom which this movie draws fault still work, or recently worked at DuPont. 3M saw little to no change in its stock price. " ~ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Waters_(2019_film)#Economic_response

Of course they'll deny it and "suggest possible legal action," but they're nailed or the movie wouldn't have happened.

Also interesting, Trivia: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9071322/trivia

Normally I don't review in such detail but you expressed interest and I made notes along the way. I'd be interested to know what you though of the movie and/or my notes.

[–]SierraKiloBravo 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

Cheers dude, will check it out once I've seen the movie :-)

[–]JasonCarswell[S] 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

I like a good based-on-a-true-story drama often enough, if produced well and/or accurate.

But I love a good based-on-a-true-story drama with an activist underdog wins, kinda story (even if sloppy).

Neat that you're in AU. It's no secret I'm Canadian. I never know what AU means though. Gold, Australia, African Union, fan fiction alternative universe, etc.

[–]SierraKiloBravo 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

I'm in a union of Africans in a golden alternative universe run by Australians