Gosford Park won out over football on Sunday night. Metacritic gave this film a 90. User ratings, though, are down at 59. I’m more with the users. There are sparkling characters, but the interactions are uneven. The scenery and setting are fantastic: 1932 England, at a divine country estate. Yet the dialogue was like West Wing on speed, with accents just to add an extra challenge. The mystery which supposedly drives the movie feels more like a distraction, especially in its comical investigation. The unveiling of hidden connections among characters appeals, but the murder was no more than a blunt excuse for the revelations.
Note: The official movie website gosfordparkmovie.com has been squatted on (hence no link). Again, I ask… does no one at a movie company think it’s worth $10 a year to try and keep a domain running to sell DVDs, if nothing else? This movie was made in 2001, so it’s not exactly ancient history, and since the director Robert Altman just died, there is likely to be renewed interest in this movie. It did receive 7 Oscar nominations (one winner, for screenplay). Oh well.