Nobel Son (2007)

ridiculous rating

disgusting, overrated, pointless

Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Recently, the loss of Alan Rickman reminded me of how perfect he was in this film, and as a result, how much I love the film.If you like movies that continually surprise you with twists and turns, you will love every part of Nobel Son. Though the film was released nearly a decade ago, if it came out this week..it would feel brand new. It has high tech story telling, an edgy and cool soundtrack, and terrific performances from its ensemble cast...one of those being the always cool Eliza Dushku. You would also be hard pressed to find anything like what I consider to be the most memorable scene of the film..which involves a shopping mall and a car. Once you see the scene i'm referencing..you'll see what makes this a must watch film!As a side note...if you were ever a fan of a short lived TV Show called October Road..you'll be in for a reunion of sorts, with two of its stars Bryan Greenberg and Lindy Booth appearing in the film.Bottom Line..If you haven't seen it..give it a try, if you have..try it again. It makes you remember the great talent we lost this year, but in many ways it also feels like it always had an eye on the future!

Eli Michaelson (Alan Rickman) is arrogant, narcissistic, and an all-round pig of a man. When he wins the Nobel prize in chemistry, his wife (Mary Steenburgen) and son are expected to join him when he is presented with the two million dollars. Instead, his son is kidnapped and held for ransom for that exact amount.This is a perfect indie film with a bizarre script with endless twists and turns, excellent actors in quirky, often off-putting roles, a loud, funky soundtrack, and a pace that's so quick you'll need to see the movie twice to absorb it all. The ensemble cast is headed by Alan Rickman at his sarcastic best, wallowing happily in his role as a heartless husband and father. He's wonderful. Steenburgen's role is never fully explained; why would she stay married to such a beast? Bill Pullman is great as the cop who investigates the kidnapping. He's sympathetic, professional, and ultra-creepy all at the same time. Bryan Greenberg is good as the kidnap victim. Danny de Vito and Ted Danson round out the cast in small parts.The exciting script will keep you guessing and the acting is top-notch. Recommended.

First off, I was sucked into the movie. I mention this, because so few movies grab my attention.I think the acting was pretty good. Ever since Die Hard, I always liked the actor who played the father. The son was perfectly fine as well. I really liked City Hall, but the plot called for little of her. I think the mom could have shown a little more emotion, but otherwise solid. Really, I can't criticize the acting here.The plot was not particularly innovative, but had a few interesting tweaks.The camera work seemed pretty standard. I think the modern technique calls for a lot more camera movement, which I don't always care for.Parts of the movie were a bit disturbing. That's a personal thing, and what I found disturbing, others may have found amusing.My main complaint was that the movie seemed to shift a bit late in the movie. It felt like they ran out of time and had to cram a ton of stuff into the last 30 minutes. It wasn't that I was lost. I followed the story. But it was a bit unsatisfying. Had the final 30 minutes of the film been more solid, I think maybe I would have given it a 6 out of 10.

I saw this movie with my husband (he tolerates my Rickmania) and part way through the movie he said, well as usual coming to a Rickman movie was worth the money. If you are tired of Hollywood formula want a few laughs and a movie you can't constantly predict this is your movie, I just hope it's still out there when you want to see it. We will probably be buying this on DVD when it becomes available. Unfortunately I don't think it will be nearly as fun to watch some of the scenes on a small screen.As usual Rickman and Devito and Pullman turn in very professional work and Steenburger is such a delight I kept wondering why don't we see more of her. The Savin's have found a nice group of actors to work with and are now with two good indie films under their belts (this one and Bottle Shock) they should be able to attract not just good actors to their films but hopefully financing.