zsenorsock

(2012-05-02 00:52:51)

Animal House Reunion

"Animal House" stars Tim Matheson (also the voice of Jonny Quest) andDonald Sutherland. Matheson is a workaholic architect whose partner'sdecision to bribe a city official to get a contract explodes in hisface. Sutherland plays the sleazy private detective hired by Matheson'swife to trail him and instead witnesses a crooked vice cop's attempt toshake the architect down. He decides to take advantage of the situationand frames Matheson for the murder of the vice cop--but holds onto allthe incriminating evidence so he can blackmail the innocent architectinto either paying him $100,000 or performing a hit for him. The filmas a whole is just okay, but I always like Matheson in movies, and hereis no exception. You kind of wish he could cut lose and play a littlecomedy, but this is just not that kind of movie. Sutherland steals theshow as the bad guy and has one great moment where it sounds like he'spromoting his son's show, saying: "24, 24, 24!" years before the showcame on the air.

rsoonsa

(2012-05-01 14:10:52)

Avoids The Overtly Predictable But Will Probably Be Recalled Solely For Sutherland's Performance.

This film, produced for cable television, benefits from strongperformances by its featured players, in particular Donald Sutherland,but too many of its scenes are unconvincing in their detail, withsequences depicting law enforcement procedures being a particulardrawback, and reliance upon intricate and coincidence filled melodramawithin the screenplay eventually sinks the work. When architect ScottReinhardt (Tim Matheson) discovers from his business partner that thelatter has bribed a public official with company funds in order to gaina lucrative contract for their young firm, honourable Reinhardtvigorously protests to no avail, soon finding his life reshaped withfearful uncertainties following the bountiful but illicit award. He isapproached by a corrupt vice unit officer who is obviously familiarwith the circumstances pertinent to the bribe, and when the vice copperis murdered, Scott is considered a suspect at the same time that he isbeing bedevilled with a former policeman and partner of the slainofficer, and currently a private investigator, "Doc" (Sutherland),whose aim is blackmail. As Reinhardt has no luck in eluding Doc, hisincreasingly cheerless existence becomes laden with new strugglesinvolving a troubled marriage, financial problems, and his freshlytainted vocation, and it is apparent that only great determination maylead Scott to an escape from his collection of plights. The filmbelongs to Sutherland who governs the action until the inconclusiveending by utilization of his expansive performing skills to create ahateful character with whom one is never less than fascinated, evengarnering sympathy. The piece is ably directed by Michael Pressman andshot very well indeed; although the script betrays the work, as itsvarious elements fail to merge into a believable storyline, in spite ofhonest efforts by all of the players, it is nonetheless enjoyableviewing due to better than average production qualities, and theplaying of Sutherland, generally undervalued Matheson, and FelicityHuffman for her vivid reading as Reinhardt's baffled wife.

jaime engle

(2012-04-28 22:12:14)

See Donald Sutherland at his quirky, most sinister best

The story line (except for the snappy twist at the end) is fairly standardman-caught-in a downward professional and personal spiral. You just knowthat the protagonist is going compound one poor decision with another andyet another--outof loyalty to his unethical, flaky partner. His blindambition leads him into a sinister plot with "Doc: Donald Sutherlandweilding the whip (and holding the gun at one point.) His marriage isfalling apart, but he persists in his bad decisions, like a gambler at thecrap tables trying to get back afloat. Nothing special here. But DonaldSoutherland in a caricature of Mephistopheles saves this formulaic film.Hisportrayal of Doc is quirky, cute, vicious, and complex. You almost startliking the guy, his parsimonious habits, his cheap clothes. He is like atag-along little boy just trying to find a buddy--until the prospectiveBuddy acts like he wants his soul back without paying the devil his due.Southland carries this film on his performance as a multidimensional,likeable creep, who has more quirks than a Rubics cube. See it--theQuicksand (an apt title)--if you are a Southerland fan (and remember hiscomic character in Mash.)

(2012-04-28 12:30:14)

Quicksand: No Escape

This review is from: Quicksand: No Escape (DVD) This was a great movie. I really like Tim Matheson and Donald Sutherland was also real good. I like mysteries and this was a good mystery. Would recommend this movie.