Frequently Bought Together
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Product details
|
Reviews
Product Description
Struggling PhD candidate Barkley Michaelson (Bryan Greenberg) is a man with a big problem. Living in the shadow of his philandering, arrogant father Eli (Alan Rickman), hes never been good enough for the old man and that was before Eli won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry. So when Barkley is kidnapped on the eve of the Nobel ceremony, and held for the $2m in prize money, it is no surprise that Eli refuses to pay. So starts a venomous tale of family dysfunction, lust, betrayal and ultimately revenge.
Review
Outrageous entertaining.... an insanely clever thriller! --Hollywood.com
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
If you've seen it, you know what I mean *wink*
This is a must for all Rickmaniacs. Or those with professor fantasies. Probably also for those who just enjoy black comedies. Although maybe not so much the latter.
I've watched it three times now, but to be honest only to drool over Alan. The plot is messy and tries too hard to be clever. But I can overlook that, cos the film involves Alan Rickman doing one of his students on a desk. *shrugs* What more can you ask for?
This is a must for all Rickmaniacs. Or those with professor fantasies. Probably also for those who just enjoy black comedies. Although maybe not so much the latter.
I've watched it three times now, but to be honest only to drool over Alan. The plot is messy and tries too hard to be clever. But I can overlook that, cos the film involves Alan Rickman doing one of his students on a desk. *shrugs* What more can you ask for?
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
What a premise for a witty, malicious black comedy: Chemistry professor wins the Nobel and within days his son is kidnapped. The ransom is exactly the amount of the dollar amount of the award. The professor is a genius, a philanderer with his female graduate students, condescending, arrogant and so insensitive to others he makes us smile. Alan Rickman, of course, plays Dr. Eli Michaelson. Dr. Michaelson's first instinct is to keep the money.
Then a thumb arrives.
Nobel Son, sad to say, works against itself. From a setup dominated by Rickman's inflated and amusingly self-absorbed character, we're quickly enmeshed in a dysfunctional family that is plotted to be snarkily venomous but catches a case of directorial auteurism.
The kidnapping turns out to have stories within stories, all of which relate to Eli, and which in turn lead to another kidnapping. There are more malicious stories within stories, some of which might even be true (everyone is a good liar), plus a revelation or two. Do we wind up with ironic and extra-legal justice or just too much lime juice on the mango?
Unfortunately, the director, Randall Miller, isn't up to controlling a convoluted story of some wit and brittleness but which demands style and clarity. He repeatedly uses flash cuts and speed-ups, along with a loud, hip music score. What malicious wit there is, is lost. Particularly in a long scene in a mall involving a car as a prize, Miller's editing, with all his pyrotechnic flash, loses track of the cleverness of the switch.
Miller also has to deal with a cast that, except for Rickman and Mary Steenburgen, is only competent enough. Many seem to have cut their acting teeth in television productions with all those interchangeable roles and actors. Steenburgen, ever appealing and sympathetic, has a chance to add starch and vinegar to her role as Eli Michaelson's long-suffering wife. Bill Pullman, playing the detective on the case who develops a yen for Mrs. Michaelson, this time doesn't bring much to the party. Pullman uses far too much of the slightly scrunched-up eyes matched with a sympathetic or knowing smile. For the record, Danny DeVito has a role that contributes nothing. Still, it's always good to see him, even though his final appearance raises the question, "What the...?
Nobel Son's redeeming factor is Alan Rickman. He plays disdainful condescension better than any actor around. He has a gorgeous sneer, but perhaps to a fault. Many moviegoers only appreciate Rickman for the over-the-top characters he can portray so effortlessly. Watch him in the last Potter movie, however, if you doubt the depth of his acting. In fact, you might also watch a movie called Bottle Shock [DVD]. It stars Rickman. Miller directed it. Bottle Shock is a charming, coherent movie about wine snobbery. Rickman is charming, too.
Then a thumb arrives.
Nobel Son, sad to say, works against itself. From a setup dominated by Rickman's inflated and amusingly self-absorbed character, we're quickly enmeshed in a dysfunctional family that is plotted to be snarkily venomous but catches a case of directorial auteurism.
The kidnapping turns out to have stories within stories, all of which relate to Eli, and which in turn lead to another kidnapping. There are more malicious stories within stories, some of which might even be true (everyone is a good liar), plus a revelation or two. Do we wind up with ironic and extra-legal justice or just too much lime juice on the mango?
Unfortunately, the director, Randall Miller, isn't up to controlling a convoluted story of some wit and brittleness but which demands style and clarity. He repeatedly uses flash cuts and speed-ups, along with a loud, hip music score. What malicious wit there is, is lost. Particularly in a long scene in a mall involving a car as a prize, Miller's editing, with all his pyrotechnic flash, loses track of the cleverness of the switch.
Miller also has to deal with a cast that, except for Rickman and Mary Steenburgen, is only competent enough. Many seem to have cut their acting teeth in television productions with all those interchangeable roles and actors. Steenburgen, ever appealing and sympathetic, has a chance to add starch and vinegar to her role as Eli Michaelson's long-suffering wife. Bill Pullman, playing the detective on the case who develops a yen for Mrs. Michaelson, this time doesn't bring much to the party. Pullman uses far too much of the slightly scrunched-up eyes matched with a sympathetic or knowing smile. For the record, Danny DeVito has a role that contributes nothing. Still, it's always good to see him, even though his final appearance raises the question, "What the...?
Nobel Son's redeeming factor is Alan Rickman. He plays disdainful condescension better than any actor around. He has a gorgeous sneer, but perhaps to a fault. Many moviegoers only appreciate Rickman for the over-the-top characters he can portray so effortlessly. Watch him in the last Potter movie, however, if you doubt the depth of his acting. In fact, you might also watch a movie called Bottle Shock [DVD]. It stars Rickman. Miller directed it. Bottle Shock is a charming, coherent movie about wine snobbery. Rickman is charming, too.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I love Alan Rickman. To say I was disappointed with this drivel is an understatement, I hope he leavess this off his CV in the future. Hasn't done his career any favours. My copy of this film is going to a charity shop.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Great film
Great entertaining film with interesting concept, and good acting from the cast. Good plot twists etc. Definitely worth a watch.
Published 8 months ago by LSChester
Nobel Son DVD Review
This film is amazing it has an amazing cast and the story has you guessing all the way through the film must have for anybody who likes real films not films that are all visual... Read more
Published 13 months ago by amazonbuyer1993
An obvious plot that twists and turns into the unexpected
When you start watching this movie, the plot is obvious: a nobel-nominated professor heads off to Sweden to get his award and his son is kidnapped. Read more
Published 17 months ago by omz13
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
