Man to Man
Man to Man
| 13 April 2005 (USA)
Man to Man Trailers

An epic about anthropologists who hunt and capture pygmies for study back in Europe, in an attempt to illustrate the link between man and ape.

Reviews
ClassyWas

Excellent, smart action film.

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Invaderbank

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

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Dirtylogy

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

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Robert Joyner

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

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trujilloderivero

The problem is the role of the characters in the film. Man to Man shows a British anthropologist kidnapping two pygmies and taking them to Scotland and then realising that they are not animals or subhumans but actually equal to himself. The problem is the role of the pygmies in the film - two people who are kidnapped, treated like animals, and yet given such a shallow, stereotypical role within the film... The kidnapper (british anthropologist) ends up being the hero of the film because he 'manages' to relate to the pygmies... No notion of how the two hostages feel, of their point of view, of their ordeal... I find it is a shallow film, with a one sided fundamentally racist view... it never manages to move away from the 'white mans' view

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Ryu_Darkwood

I wanted to love this movie, but it just didn't move me that much. The story in itself is very strong. It's about a group of anthropologists capturing a pygmies couple to England for scientific purposes. They treat the two as if they are not human, but some kind of link between man and ape. It's a painful story of an era in time in which western society thought itself to be superior over other races. The real savages are not the pygmy couple, but those that don't want to accept that they are just as human as themselves. It's also about how science can become dangerous when scientists lose their empathy for the persons they are testing and how that can lead to inhumane situations. Like I said, it's definitely a strong subject for a movie. And apart from that, the settings are okay, the acting is strong and the dialogues really depict the scientific society of Britain in those days. I still had the feeling that something was missing. Its main character Docter Dudd ( Joseph Fiennes ) is too quickly transforming from heartless scientist to someone with heart for the pygmies couple. His partner in crime - clandestine animal smuggler Elena van den Ende ( Kristin Scott Thomas )- never really gets into the story and she's choosing sides way too quickly. And I think that there are some strange plot twists that just aren't that believable.At the end, it's a good movie. Maybe not as good as it could've been. But for those with a heart for period pieces with an important message on colonialism in past days, it's good enough.

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commotionpix-2

Yes, this film is perhaps a tad "worthy" and it certainly does aspire to be bigger and more important than it is, however, it is, for all that, vastly more interesting than most Hollywood high street fodder. The film presents some interesting observations on societal issues as well as the central humanistic drama. It excoriates the notion of man's inhumanity,or humanity, towards his fellow man. It is clear from the voting thus far that this film's appeal is largely to the female audience. No bad thing either as it didn't do "The English Patient" and several others any harm did it? I do find the other comments on Joseph Fiennes rather unfair. He plays the character with aplomb. Perhaps that viewer has forgotten the manners and behavioral traits of the period? Whatever it failings, this film is well worth watching. It is well made, looks fine, the acting and script are fine. Just because a few male attendees at the Berlin Film Festival miss the point, don't be swayed. Take a look at this film. Oh yes,I almost forgot... some of the supporting cast are excellent.

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Christian_alternakid

Man To Man tries hard to be a good movie: it has its heart at the right place, it aspires to be epic and it has a message that no doubt everybody will appreciate. But there lies also some of the problems of this picture. It strives so hard to be good and to get its message across that sometimes the viewer must feel unchallenged. So it is only adequate that the images which are used by this picture are simplistic - Man To Man doesn't let the viewer decide what he thinks is right but is hammering its message in his head. Joseph Fiennes exemplifies this in his role: he does his best to look concerned, genuinely moved and all the other emotions you can express with the single one facial expression his repertoire has to offer. Add that the movie is overlong and loses its speed towards the end you would be easily led to the conclusion that Man To Man is not worth watching. But there are enough points to defend it: it is entertaining, has some humorous scenes and the show-stealing Kristin Scott Thomas. Of course you should not compare it to humanistic masterpieces like The Elephant Man (David Lynch) but you'll be leaving the theatre satisfied. It tries to grab your heart (even if your brain thinks that it is too obvious) and succeeds most of the time.

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