I tried to like it, I really did (Holy Smoke (DVD))

Member Name: notallsoft

Product:	Holy Smoke (DVD)
Date:	06/08/01 (47 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Kate Winslett, Harvey Keitel, Fun FX

Disadvantages: Dire, Badly-directed, Dull, dull, dull

This was a film that should have been so much better, it almost brings tears to my eyes. (Or that could be the smoke.)
Harvey Keitel and Kate Winslett are usually almost beyond reproach and together, well, it should have been nothing short of a miracle.

However, for no reasons I could really lay my finger on, this was disasterous. It's bizarre. I liked Keitel's gruff de-brainwasher, I liked Winslett as a cult obsessed hippie ozzie, I thought the psychadelic scenes as she became caught up in the moment were great fun, but I was bored, bored, bored and I just couldn't wait for the thing to end.

The basic story is as follows: Young, impressionable, bohemian ozzie Ruth (Winslet) is travelling in India, when she becomes overwhelmed with religious fervour after meeting a charismatic cult leader. Back in Australia, her parents PJ Waters (Keitel), a famous "cult deprogrammer" to get her back. It turns out that this task isn't as easy as Waters expects, and the resulting sexual tension as Ruth puts up an unexpectedly spirited fight brings the film towards crisis point.

Considering that this film was created by the excellent Jane Campion, whose CV includes such gems as "The Piano" and "The Portrait of a Lady", how could such an interesting concept fail to impress? How indeed.

I'm always extra harsh on a film that disappoints me when I was expecting something outstanding, so here goes. Even though I got a free copy of this to review, it was still a waste of money, in that the time spent watching it could have been used much more profitably. This really isn't something you want to watch unless it's on TV and you have absolutely nothing better to do and no social life whatsoever. And that includes trimming your toenails.

Summary: