n my opinion it was a great movie with some interesting elements, even though having some plot holes and the ending probably was just too messy and crammed together, but still fun to watch and not your casual movie that is similar to all other ones.
... View MoreIt's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.
... View MoreIn other words,this film is a surreal ride.
... View MoreGreat example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.
... View MoreThe third film in the ITV's latest television franchise, starring Rowan Atkinson in the title role. It was aired earlier this year, but I've decided to watch it later, which is now, because the fourth will be coming out around the same time. This is another good addition to the series, but not the best one. The first one was good. The second was a little lesser than that. And now this one comes between them two.Obviously I anticipated it to be good, since Atkinson in it, doing out of his usual, and a character like Jules Maigret, it's always a high hope. According to many, this is the best one so far, and I can see their reason. But I'm on the different side. Of course I enjoyed it. It was one of the decent detective films. Especially for the television standards, it is better than most of the others. And giving a new meaning for a popular detective from the fictional world was a well done. Though one of my issues with Maigret's screenspace in this particular tale.It was based on the book of the same name. Yet again, they are set to solve another murder mystery in the Paris. Maigret is the prime decoder of such puzzle, though I was not happy with how his parts were handled. That means the other character around him had got better scope. That includes the other side of the character, like the baddies. Until the finale you won't know who is the villain, but the film covered enough everyone involving in this narration.❝And there was a moment when I thought you might be a ticket worth buying, as well.❞Started off with the death of a Jewish diamond merchant and framed someone else for it. There's no clear data available whose behind it and the reason. Maigret got involved in the case, but another inspector argues its his. They get along and try to solve it. The mystery is not the murder, but as the title hints, a place little outside Paris called Three Windows Crossroad. Ultimately, after all the attempts, Maigret ends up there at one night, which brings a light to the probe.The end was not surprising enough, hence the reason I did not like it as the other viewers. It was not about prediction. For that, one must keep close eye on Miagret and his expressions, which is a clue to guess what could come next. Well, the cast was amazing. The settings and the direction too. Being a detective film, it had all those ingredients. So anybody would enjoy watching it, but that's not same as it will become your favourite crime solving film. If that happens, well, then that's good.Most of the story taking place outside the Paris, makes it look like a tale that could be from any timeline. Unlike the books that sets in the 30s, these films were in the 50s. Little slow paced narrative, but it's nothing to do with the story and the characters which were so well established. I have never seen films, series or read stories about Jules Maigret before, so I liked this film series thus far. The next one due in less than a month. As always hoping that would beat all the expectations and becomes the best one.6.5/10
... View MoreAnother wonderful story from Georges Simenon. The production team have got everything right down to the last detail. The garage full of old cars, the unmade roads, the shabby kitchen of the decaying mansion. The bizarre inhabitants, the girl who has to be locked in her room "for safety". But ultimately it's disappointing. Rowan Atkinson is a good Maigret, but he lacks the character's humour (which Michael Gambon had in spades). Atkinson is too solemn, and - fatally - the writers and director have made him soft-centred. He twinkles slightly at the girl, when she tries to seduce him, but in a melancholy way. Gambon would have flirted back. She is impressed that he doesn't respond, but merely treats her burned fingers. I feel this incident is not in the book (the writers needed a pretext to bring them closer), even though Simenon is always concerned about what characters eat and drink. (Maigret decides the girl needs some poached eggs – but surely Maigret can't cook?)Madame Maigret is given a plonkingly 21st-century speech about the difficulty of being married to a policeman. Anachronistic, and also Cop Show Cliché No. 794. And finally: the director loves filming characters in long shot while they are making a long speech full of plot exposition. And many young actors think that naturalism means keeping your face immobile. I turned on the subtitles.
... View MoreI was giving up on a good British mystery being made ever again. The BBC stole the rights to Agatha Chriostie from ITV, and left the pretty good Marple series unfinished. Instead we had the foulness of the new Partners in Crime, where we have no mystery, a plot so stupid that you end up wanting to yell at the TV set, horrid acting, and the lead female character acting like she has her period the entire time on screen. Then we have the reanimated George Gently series, which I stopped watching after Detective Gently rolled his eyes when a witness said that world war two veterans were heroes. That turned me off completely. We have Father Brown, where you can guess who the murderer is, because they are always the most respectable and British person around....like I said; All garbage. I thought I was just going to have to keep on re watching Poirot with David Suchet, and Marple series with Julia McKenzie forever if i wanted to see a good mystery. But NO! Here we have the genuine thing! Well acted. Not slavishly similar to the novels, but a good synergistic mix of new and old. A real interesting mystery which I did not guess, and also real fleshed out characters. I want MORE!!!
... View MoreI'll be honest, the first two offerings I wasn't exactly full of praise for, but this third offering has very much changed my opinion. Everything feels settled, solid and somehow familiar. I now feel used to the concept of Rowan Atkinson as Maigret, and I feel he himself is now more comfortable in the role. Night at the Crossroads isn't my favourite story, but as a production it came to life, the performances were first rate, Thomas Wlaschiha stole the show for me, as he so often does, but he was fantastic, so diverse an actor. Lucy Cohu I still think is a joy as Maigret's wife. The only criticism I had was the performance of Kevin McNally, who's Grandjean was a little too much, somehow it seemed like he over-relished his role of villain, and was a little hammy.Great production values, this episode I feel has turned the series around, I now cannot wait for the next episode. A very solid 8/10
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