Disapointment

Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

The acting in this movie is really good.

Dan Ayrkoyd, looking boxy and well-scrubbed, plays a college professor in Massachusetts who is caught up in the media frenzy surrounding elderly German neighbor Jack Lemmon, who has been accused of being a notorious Nazi war criminal living under an assumed identity; when Lemmon tells Aykroyd he intends to leave the country in protest, Aykroyd plots to poison him as a form of historical justice. Writer-director Harvey Miller probably intended this dark-hued comedy to be a twisted hoot, in the "Eating Raoul" vein. He apparently gained the trust of his talented performers--and comedy vet Penny Marshall was swayed enough to co-produce--but something must have gotten lost in the translation from screenplay to film, because there are hardly any laughs in this scenario. The cast plays it poker-faced...perhaps they weren't sure just how over-the-top the presentation should be. Results are curiously lukewarm, and full of dumb jokes like one involving Lemmon's dog being attracted to Aykroyd's crotch--which Miller then repeats, as a TV director might. *1/2 from ****

Despite having a cast that included Dan Aykroyd, Jack Lemmon, Lily Tomlin, and Bonnie Hunt, Savoy Pictures barely released "Getting Away With Murder" to theaters. Watching it, I think I can see why. With the movie centering around someone accused of being a Nazi war criminal - and being a comedy - a more sure hand was needed to make this subject material palatable. As it is, the movie is too soft, when it needed to be more biting, like how the Mel Brooks movie "The Producers" was with its own Nazi material. But there are other problems than just with a wrong tone. Long stretches of the movie go by without any attempts at humor. There are several moments when scenes appear to be missing, though at the same time the movie also feels stretched out when its telling should have been tighter. I admit I kept watching to see how things would be wrapped up, but the movie cops out in this area as well, leading to a final moment that will have you saying, "That's IT?!?" out loud. If you do watch this movie, see if you can figure out why this was given an "R" rating - the movie really feels more like a PG-13 or even a PG movie.

The best thing that I can say about this movie is that I did not turn it off. I would have to add however that I was tempted to many times. This was potentially a funny movie, but it just didn't quite make it. Perhaps the continual narrative by Ackroyd did not help. The standard of acting was reasonable. The standard of direction was reasonable. The story was reasonable and had the potential of making a good movie. The 91 minutes of run time seemed more like 180 minutes. The movie was too drawn out and the comedy was too little and not funny enough. Of all the actors, I thought that Lily Tomlin gave the best performance. Ackroyd was OK, but as his was the main role, it was going to take more than OK to make the movie good. Jack Lemmon was unimpressive and his accent unconvincing. I gave it 5 from 10, and that was probably being generous.

This is a rather mild and forgettable comedy, but I think it deserves a **1/2 rating, if only because it dares to deal with some ambiguous subjects (like vigilantism) without become overly moralizing. The viewer is allowed to think (or not think, if he does not wish to) for himself. It's not a funny movie, I'll grant you that, and Jack Lemmon is thoroughly wasted, but it's an interesting one nonetheless.