10/20
Based on the novel Foregone by Russell Banks
Leonard Fife, one of the sixty thousand conscientious objectors and deserters who fled to Canada to avoid service in Vietnam, shares all his secrets to demystify his mythological life. This is the second time that Paul Schrader has directed one of Banks’ novels for the screen, after the adaptation of Affliction (1997).
Well, you would be wrong
Quoted in Film Junk Podcast: Episode 961: In a Violent Nature + TIFF 2024 (2024). With such a great cast, including actors like Richard Gere, Uma Thurman and Michael Imperioli, you would think they would have enough star power to make a better film than this.
Paul Schrader takes an “experimental” approach in a film that feels like it was made by a first-year film student
Schrader claims to have been friends with the anti-war activist/filmmaker whose life story this film is based on, but with friends like that, who needs enemies? Richard Gere’s character becomes increasingly unlikable and gradually loses the ability to express himself in words as he becomes angry at everyone around him and descends into darkness, mumbling.
In other words, he’ll be exactly like Paul Schrader is today
Do yourself a favor and skip this movie, even if you’re streaming it, I can’t imagine it would be better if you could pause it and walk away to do more important things than watch this sad movie.
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