ALL ABOUT STEVE (2009)

[tabuno]

I suspect that I'm going to be invited to leave this website after I dare to state that ALL ABOUT STEVE (2009) is the best movie I've seen this year so far which will inevitably raise questions about my sanity and ability to distinguish or judge any movie for its real value. However, I can only state that like LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE (2006), this more popular mass audience romantic comedy in the same league as NANNY DIARIES (2007), ALL ABOUT STEVE was able to connect to that part of myself that experienced a subtle nuance of human reality that spoke to the deeper human condition. ALL ABOUT STEVE was able to restain the extreme comedic outbursts and character assassination common in many dumb comedies and instead balance both eccentricity for a more carefully refined performance that never went over the top (for those that understand what is actually going on in this movie).

Sandra Bullock's character experiences a coming of age event covering the entire length of the movie and represents perhaps a little part and for some a large part of ourselves that are trapped in this American society. This little gem of a movie are for those of us who find ourselves apart from society and yet will definitely find something more or learn more about ourselves in the process of watching this movie. And hopefully the rest of society will be able to join in the learning process too. Nonetheless, this is Sandra Bullock at her best (though some would say her worst), yet it is apparent from the IMDb polarized perspective that this movie was able to divide the audience so glaringly that it has touched on some basic sociological divide among us humans and thus perhaps exposes the chasm that we still need to bridge among ourselves in the real world.

[cinemabon]

I was hardpressed to find a favorable review (Lisa Kennedy of the Denver Post was the only one).

Is the title a pun?

Reviewers were confused, as Bullock tended to be over the top in comic scenes and tragically underplayed in serious ones.

This is actually rated as one of the worst films of the year. Question your judgment? Not unless you want to forgive some of my terrible positions in the past. I still think Oscar was wrong to like A.I. I've stuck my neck out for several turkeys. But.... to each his own.

[tabuno]

The singular All about Steve crossword puzzle that Sandra Bullock's character had published in the newspaper and her infatuation with Steve is the focus about the movie and title of the movie and even though Sandra consumes a majority of the movie, it is her All about Steve attitude that eventually drives most of the movie's plot.

I can see how many people thought Sandra Bullock overplayed the comedy and underplayed the dramatic scenes, yet in Sandra's instance, I'm a little more forgiving especially in comedies where it is the overacting that is sometimes key and not every scene was over-acted while with drama, understatement, I feel, is better than overstatement. I acknowledge the fact that this movie was one of the worst rated movies of the year which I knew even as I posted my original message.

Yet I've seen much, much worse, tragically worse other comic scenes just in the many trailers that have come out this year for comedies (those scenes that supposedly at the best scenes in order to attract people's attention.

Personally, I carefully watched this movie (though with an intention of enjoying it) and felt that Sandra did restrain herself more than she might have and with comedy some of her behavior strangely enough was consistent with her eccentric personality which I want to say isn't all that farfetched in terms of some interesting people one can actually see on the street of major cities. Sandra's both blindness as well as the more layered character underneath was presented in this movie and I experienced the depth of her Sandra's character and the undertones that presumable most critics easily overlooked or didn't want to see in order to be able to be consistent in their personal negative judgment and commentary.

31.3% IMDb audience members, almost a third of people who saw this movie rated this movie a perfect 10! Another 25.8% IMDb audience members, just over a quarter rated this movie a absolute ZERO! This striking polar opposites is in some ways startling and unusual. I usually find such a dichotomy with very good but controversial movies that split the audiences.

[cinemabon]

You are in good company. My wife saw the film today and liked it. Simple pleasures for.... just kidding.