Camille (2008)

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

A romance, horror, crime and road movie all in one! Not sure what it's all for but it sure is different! (viewed 11/16)

Not a movie that everyone will enjoy perhaps, the weird plot alone is bound to test the patience of many viewers looking to watch perhaps your standard rom-com (which this is not).Now mind you it is in a sense very much both a romance and comedy but it's also (perhaps even mostly) a fantasy film.I can't go into any details without starting to spoiling stuff (even though a lot of the plot is open for interpretation) but if you're looking for something different and unique then this might just do the trick.Has a bit of a rocky start though which makes you wonder where on earth this is going and occasionally the plot is a bit all over the place but if you give it some time and look aside some of the flaws then it should be worth your while.James Franco and Sienna Miller both deliver fine performances in the leads and David Carradine has a nice supporting role, the soundtrack is also really good and give it that extra push so you can get all the right feels.

This film tells the story of a man who often has trouble with the law, marrying a sheriff's niece and go to Niagara falls for honeymoon. Unexpected things happen which make their trip very memorable, even bizarre.After watching so many very bad James Franco low budget films, I expected "Camille" to be equally bad. I think "Camille" successfully set the scene with a strong character buildup, and the film is consistently fun, engaging and suspenseful. It's quite sad to see how Sienna Miller enjoys the wedding while James Franco hates every minute of it, but this exactly makes me look forward to a change in the later parts of a film. Their honeymoon is mysterious to the point of almost bizarre, but it keeps me interested. For the ending, I was really hoping that the policemen acknowledge their mistake, but it ended in an unexpected way. I enjoyed watching this film, I think it's quite refreshing to see a romantic comedy with a twist.

If you like realist fantasies such as Groundhog Day, or Stranger than Fiction, Camille is the movie for you. It qualifies as a good movie, although barely. It feels like more could have been done with the story, but it is definitely safe to say that Camille is original, and charming. For some people that may be enough. This is the story of the most contrived and surreal honeymoon trip to Niagra Falls. A young thief, Silias, is on parole so he can marry Camille, the sheriff's niece. He doesn't love her, and she is kind of self centred, but if he doesn't go ahead with this, he goes back in the hole. They depart for the falls in a lousy little bike and side car, and they barely get a mile before they have an accident, which becomes a chain reaction for a weird and wonderful remainder of the journey, and perhaps a chance for Silias feelings to grow.There are two things that Camille would've needed to be on par with the great realist fantasies (such as Groundhog Day). It feels a bit shallow for one thing, and its beauty is only skin deep. For another, it is obvious that the story doesn't take itself seriously and some bits are played for laughs, but not enough to make it work as a comedy. It could have been a tad funnier.Sienna Miller's career is still young, but each time I see her, I realize that she is capable of variety. She has been to the Venitian Baroque era (Casanova), To Edwardian England (The Edge of Love), A killer super villain in black leather (G.I. Joe) although she wasn't all that great there. Here she plays a really big narcissist but one with a cute touch. She totally upstages James Franco, who has never really done much for me.I don't think Camille will disappoint. It could use a few touches here and there, but it is likable.