RyothChatty
ridiculous rating
Reptileenbu
Did you people see the same film I saw?
Limerculer
A waste of 90 minutes of my life
rowmorg
In the 1940s and 50s there was some kind of rule that Americans B-list stars had to star in British B-movies (when there were double bills). I'm not sure why. This B-category film reminded me of those days, with an American "star" (Christina Ricci) standing out like a sore thumb in the middle of a British picture. It must have been something to do with the financing, although it's billed as a Film on Four production. Anyway, the casting of Ricci drove a stake through the heart of the movie before it was ever filmed. I never believed either the romance that drove the story or the intrigue that lay behind it. After a briefly engaging beginning, the film declined into sophomoric nonsense. The British film is in a parlous state, and we were told about 10 years ago that Alan Parker was going to clean it all up and get good scripts and directors happening, so that 99 out of a hundred did not flop and pass straight into video obscurity. Somehow this one squeezed through all the many blockages that stand in the way of any production, and I suspect that Ms Ricci was the reason. Pity!
hokeybutt
MIRANDA (1 outta 5 stars)Pretty lousy movie about a conwoman (Christina Ricci) and a nerdy librarian (John Simm)who is smitten by her... even when he realizes that her sweet and wonderful character is nothing but an act, he becomes enamored of the bad girl she becomes. Ho hum. She leaves town... he follows her and becomes entangled in some convoluted scheme to embezzle money from some bizarre rich guy character played by Kyle MacLachlan. The actors are okay... but the movie itself is kind of pointless. Also, there is too much weirdness for the sake of weirdness. Eccentricity is no substitute for compelling characters and/or storylines. This is one of those small, independent movies that gives small, independent movies a bad rep.
Brian B-2
Cristina Ricci not only warms the cold still nights where most of this movie's action takes place, she captivates our souls. Her eyes are mirrors of our inner desires. This film uses this to perfection. John Simm and John Hurt are well cast supporting players, owning their roles. Kyle McLachlan returns to his David Lynch quirkiness, after the shallow Sex and the City detour.The camera worker bathes her in dark pools of light, approaching her from odd angles, as if she was a sleeping lover watched , or an object of art. Yet she breathes, and lives, and smokes, and smiles radiantly. Few actresses are both sun and moon.When the nights are not still, rain motifs evoke the sad grasp of the dreariness of existence lived without heartfelt joy, whether the dangerous life of the con artist, or the drab librarian. Both are trapped. Only free will gives us freedom. But choice means pain and sacrifice.
The romance and thriller aspects of the plot clank against each other, and there may be one to many coincidence. None of this seriously harms the overall quality of the film.
Andreya
Frank is infatuated by the mysterious Miranda. When she disappears he goes in search of her, discovering a world of confidence tricksters and sadistic villains.I think it's a mistake to try and pigeon hole this film into a genre. I think the closest I could get is that it's a twisted romantic comedy. It stars Christina Ricci as Miranda, an emotionally damaged con women. John Simm is Frank, the naïve northern lad who falls in love with her and the chemistry between the two is palpable. Kyle MacLachlan puts in an outstanding performance as a sinister, multi-millionaire pervert and John Hurt plays the sophisticated Svengali type figure to Miranda.This is a very stylish film with a wicked sound-track. If you like your films to fit exactly into a pigeon hole than this isn't one for you. However, if you're prepared to watch with an open-mind then this is definitely one to watch if only for the fantastic shot of the imported Elvis rug!
