Topic: Pete
Friday after work I was finally able to rent the one and only copy of FMG available in Bradford. The exchange went like this:
Salesclerk: Huh. New release. You renting it ‘cause you like Vin Diesel?
Me: No, Peter Dinklage.
Salesclerk: Who?
Me: :::sigh:::
So I go home and offload the groceries and the movie is sitting on the table. Kevin walked in and the exchange went like this:
Kevin: Cool, you rented a movie…Vin Diesel?
Me: No, Peter Dinklage.
Kevin: Oh, your midget guy. Peter Dingleberry.
Me: :::sigh::: You’ll like it, it’s a mobster movie.
Kevin: Midget mobsters?
Me: :::sigh:::
(Don’t get me wrong, I love my husband, but he really does take entirely too much enjoyment from pushing my buttons.) At any rate, we did watch the movie and Kevin loved it. I knew he would – he loves the Sopranos, the Godfather, Goodfellas, and has probably seen every episode of American Justice dealing with crime families. So this was right up his alley.
We were both impressed with Vin Diesel. Never was a fan before, and I can’t say I’d run to see a movie because he’s in it, but he really CAN act. It was disconcertingly uncomfortable to find oneself feeling sympathy, and even affection for an admitted criminal. But this did let you understand the sort of charm that the real Jackie Dee must have wielded in court.
Peter? Oh he was superb, of course. Goes without saying, right?
I can understand why he was thrilled to get this part. Aside from working with Sidney Lumet, this is the first time (that I’ve seen) since “Threshold” that his size was completely irrelevant to the character, and went essentially unaddressed. It reminded me of “Fargo”, where Frances McDormand’s character is pregnant through the movie. No explanation given, no reason why she HAD to be, and no effect on the storyline. Just the simple fact that, yes, in real life, expectant mothers are sheriffs. Yes, in real life, dwarfs are lawyers. ‘Nuff said.
Oh and the Voice… well, I could listen to PD read the Code of Federal Transportation Regulations and be enthralled. He does make an impressively silver tongued lawyer. (As an added bonus, he wields chopsticks like I do.) And I won’t spoil it for you, but there is an unexpected little bit of interaction between Diesel and The Dink at the end of the trial that, well, still has me pondering if it was planned or not.
Overall verdict – if you are a fan of either actor, or a mafia buff, you should really enjoy this. If you aren’t, you’ll probably find this a mildly interesting, if slightly tedious movie.
