Some Velvet Morning (2013)

Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

Neil LaBute's work has always been raw in tone, frequently offensive, yet never lacking in punch.SOME VELVET MORNING proves no exception to this rule. Set in a split-level apartment in a big city, is concerns an apparently unstable relationship between middle-aged lawyer Fred (Stanley Tucci), and his twentysomething former mistress Velvet (Alice Eve). Fred claims to have left his wife and returned to Velvet after a four-year absence, while Velvet apparently resents his unexpected appearance in her apartment.Most of the film's eighty-two minute running-time is devoted to a roller-coaster depiction of the characters' relationship as it veers from protestations of love, false demonstrations of passion, and the more obvious depicting of male power based on strength. In the final reel there is an unexpected denouement that calls into question the entire basis on which the plot has been constructed. Some might consider it artificial; others a too-obvious elaboration of the film's basic theme.In terms of style, SOME VELVET MORNING has much of the rawness of David Mamet's OLEANNA (1994), another two-hander based on the clash between a man and woman of varying ages, combined with the destructive potential of Mike Nichols's WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF (1966), wherein the main characters tear emotional lumps out of each other in pursuit of emotional as well as physical mastery.As director, LaBute refuses to let his characters out of sight of his penetrating camera. We feel uncomfortably close to them, especially Fred as he tries to ingratiate himself once again into Velvet's emotions. Yet there is a sense in which the film glorifies as well as condemns male power; Tucci portrays Fred as the initiator of most of the conversations he conducts with Velvet. Until he achieves his desired aim, he will never give up.In truth the plot begins to pall as it unfolds, as we wonder why Fred is so insistent on achieving his desired aim. Is it part of his own feeling of insecurity; that he is an emotional wreck with a pathological inability to articulate his emotions? As Velvet, Eve tends to be too much of a foil to him; in Beckettian fashion she tells us she is going out but never actually takes any positive action.It might be said that SOME VELVET MORNING gives an uncompromising portrait of modern relationships. In truth it actually reveals the bile at the heart of the writer/ director's consciousness, which manifests itself in a consciously sexist piece of work.

I saw my dog take a dump once, but it never crossed my mind to nominate him for the best producer Oscar, nor Would I nominate Neil Labute as a writer and director for Some Velvet Morning. In fact, if he made popcorn for the movie it would suck. I felt really sad watching Stanley Tucci and Alice Eve pass this move through their acting gut, much like I would pass a Taco Bell burrito gut ball through mine.Really I was so irritated and then the hapless twist at the end; I think we were supposed to yell bravo, instead of looking to get even with a shotgun, a box of lead shot and my favorite hunting dog. The only person I hate more then Neil Labute is Justin Bieber and then its a long drop to Hitler.Can't we invoke the Old Yeller statute, in a case like this. I know Labute likes to challenge his audience, but so does eating bad chicken. Here is an idea, make something that I might find entertaining. Actually I am entertained by people falling off their skateboard on Youtube how hard is that. Seriously.

Trigger Warning(s): Rape sceneWith no knowledge of who Alice Eve is, what drew me to this was Stanley Tucci. The man who can be found in so many of your favorite films, almost always with a different personality in each one. But while I must admit his involvement was certainly a draw, perhaps the real big interest for me came from the fact there were solely two people in the cast. Leading to the question: Do these two actors keep your attention over the course of the movie?Characters & StoryFred (Stanley Tucci) is a man who has seemingly left it all. He has left his wife of 20+ years and decides to show up, unannounced, at the door of his former mistress Velvet (Alice Eve). Someone who he hasn't had contact with for 4 years, so naturally she is quite surprised to see him with bags in hand, and with her surprise comes his anger for he wants seemingly expected them to pick up from where they left off. Thing is, her feelings have faded with time, perhaps due to lack of patience, and definitely a bit of fear. Leading you to wonder if when all is said and done, will someone leave in a body bag or perhaps could things end peacefully as they might have before?PraiseThis film, all throughout, got an emotional response from me. Some Velvet Morning is the type of film which makes you yell at the screen and get frustrated to the point you want to jump into the movie and do something. This is all thanks to an enraging story and performances by both Tucci and Eve which surely get you into their characters quick. For their performances make this almost like seeing a 1st class Broadway play. They go back and forth and puts you on the edge of your seat as you fear the worse and hope for the best. Especially as you see both of their patience degrade to the point where pleasantries are thrown out the window. And truly, I am surprised this film wasn't nominated for any type of accolades.CriticismBut with that said, I should note as much as this film can be maddening in a good way it also can be in a bad way. For one, the film repeats itself over and over in a pattern which adds a bit more detail each time the argument restarts again. And not to fully spoil the movie, but the basic pattern is Fred getting angry, Velvet getting scared, Fred trying to explain why he is angry, Velvet trying to appease him, Fred calming down, and then repeat. However, while that way of storytelling did get a bit too repetitive for me, really it is the ending which pushed me over the edge for it doesn't at all release this tension you have been building up inside of you. Instead it makes your anger simmer and settle in your shoulder and back muscles giving you no relief what so ever.Overall: Worth SeeingThis film is so polarizing for me. As much as I want to label it "Worth Seeing" I want to say to "Skip It" with "TV Viewing" not really being a viable option. For I hate this film with a burning passion, yet I feel it is so rare for a film to maintain you being connected and engaged throughout the entire thing. But, at the same time, your engagement is based on rage and passion which is never appeased. So while I say this is worth watching for the story and performances, realize you will not get any satisfaction out of the ending, no matter how clever it maybe.

Lets get this out of the way, its not a very entertaining movie, after all it contains only one location, 2 actors and it draws more from La butte's theater background than film language, this is also an oddity as it is a straight drama(occasional joke aside) unlike Labutte's dark comedies of the past; that said, solid and disturbing dialog, a surprising ending and a powerhouse performance by Stanley Tucci raise this as one of the most interesting films to come out in a while.As said in the summaries, the movie pits a bitter and unstable character played by Stanley Tucci against a woman played by Alice Eve, who seems to hold secrets in both her own life as well as the shared common past between the both of them, and as their conversation prolongs, secrets, bile and nastiness are spread all over the clinical white townhouse.Stanley Tucci, as said previously, steals every scene he is in, while Alice eve plays it more subdued, but then again, her character doesn't have as many grand moments, and she does a magnificent job, especially towards the end of the film.The cinematography and set design fit the movie perfectly, contrasting the neat empty house with the fiery discussion that takes place in it, and while I'm sure it was a deliberate decision, the hand-held camera seems to be operated by someone with Parkinsons disease, there are scenes where it seems to shake and bob all over the place, becoming a bit distracting.The movie may be off putting to many, first of all because the dialog is an exercise in spitefulness and cruelty, which many people will find hard to stomach, secondly at first glance there appears to be a randomness in the plot, which is to be expected as this is a dialog driven film, however this lack of entertainment may drive away some, finally there's THAT ending, some may feel cheated, some will think its one clever piece of cookie, and to say anything about it here would spoil the film in its entirety, Finally, i guarantee you, that if you make it past all the prejudices that could arise from watching something like this, you will find a very original, brilliant and haunting piece of cinema.