The Walker
The Walker
R | 30 September 2007 (USA)
The Walker Trailers

An escort who caters to Washington D.C.'s society ladies becomes involved in a murder case.

Reviews
Stevecorp Don't listen to the negative reviews
Pacionsbo Absolutely Fantastic
Siflutter It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.
Scarlet The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.
orange_bicycle There are certainly flaws in this film. It's a little frustrating because this could have been a great film, a true classic.That being said there were some great lines in this, really interesting performances and great production design. I love movies with themes like this. Stories that are unique and portray a world that is an allegory for so many things in our culture but says something different portraying the lives of people never represented in cinema before. I also love a smart movie where there are more great actresses than actors built in the narrative. I admire filmmakers who do it. It's a real treat, especially when it's not a romantic comedy or some 'female/family empowerment' drivel. There were three of the best in here (and Woody Harrelson really stretched his chops and I liked it).There's a few clunkers in the dialogue, especially in the beginning (it evens out later and gets good). And the characters sometimes are a little Sunday morning cartoonish for me (but it may just be style). The thriller component of this is a bit convoluted. It actually seems like the back seat passenger in this film and didn't get fleshed out correctly, which could have been their intention.If I were involved in this film I would be really proud of it. I think it's important to articulate new ground in American storytelling. While I can't say this was a home run, I'm open to the possibility that on a 2nd or 3rd viewing I may adjust this opinion. I believe it's worth watching if you like noir, thrillers, queer stuff and all these actors. And if you watch a lot of movies, but don't finish many of them, like me, because they are all the same Hollywood crap.
lastliberal Lynn Lockner (Kristin Scott Thomas), Abigail Delorean (Lily Tomlin) and Natalie Van Miter (Lauren Bacall) play canasta weekly with Carter Page III (Woody Harrelson), an openly gay escort. This is where they gossip about Washington society and politicos.Carter's father was a Senator, and Carter has transformed himself into an escort for Washington women whose husbands are otherwise occupied. Harrelson is excellent in this role.He has a special relationship with Lockner (God, I love Kirsten Scott Thomas). He takes her to meet up with someone who takes care of needs he can't. On the latest trip, he becomes embroiled in a tragedy to protect her honor.He becomes a prime suspect in the murder, but he emerges with his pride and honor intact, as more of a man than the father he could not live up to.
hughman55 This film is one giant pant load. Paul Schrader is utterly lost in his own bad screenplay. And his directing is about as comatose as it can be without his actually having been sleepwalking during the process. The worst though is Woody Harrelson, whom I ordinarily like when he's properly cast. He plays "the walker", a homosexual man in D.C. who plays social companion to the bored wives of the Washington elite. He couldn't have been more one dimensional if he had been cut out of a magazine and bounced around in front of the camera on a popsicle stick. His "southern accent" is that "off the rack" version that decrescendos from the beginning to the end of every line he delivers, as though the heat and humidity of the South is still draining him of every ounce of energy. It is monotonous. But, his is not the worst accent in the movie. His "boyfriend", played by Moritz Bleibtreau, attempts to affect some kind of a Mid East accent that is so clumsy he can barely deliver the bad lines written for him. He is incapable of rolling his r's in spite of the fact that in real life he is German, and speaks several languages - one of them being Italian! That's kind of a good reason to cast someone else don't ya think? From the story, to the screenplay, to the directing, to the camera work, to the performances by the leads, this movie is bad from beginning to end. The only tolerable moments in this film came from three supporting actresses: Lily Tomlin, Lauren Bacall, and Kristin Scott Thomas. Only these three managed to make it through this movie with their dignity in tact. In fact, all three are excellent, in spite of being trapped in a really bad film. Ufortunately, no one could ever be good enough to redeem this endless series of flaws. If you like these three actresses, watch them in something else. This movie is not worth your time.
Richard Wheeler This is a film suitable for art movie lovers as one has to watch this movie with an open mind; this film cannot be watched once, one as the viewer will be totally lost! The film had a stunning soundtrack with excellent choices of synths and melodies which create a slow but mysterious atmosphere which indicates to the viewer that it will take time for them to know what is going on. And there are suspenseful shots so well composed that it will make one jump out of their seat and will keep one in suspense. Together, with the choice of music and cinematography, this film creates a mysterious environment which has crime which can happen any time any place. And again, something for art movie fans.