MovieChat Forums > 28 Days (2000) Discussion > ARE LOVERS OF THIS FILM JUST CHILDISH?

ARE LOVERS OF THIS FILM JUST CHILDISH?

posted 20 years ago by george-parker183
127 replies | jump to latest

I'm getting increasingly confused by conflicting reviews. Nobody gives their age, qualifications, profession or favourite film. The "Lovers" and "Haters" reviews just contradict each other, for no apparent reason.

I'm 70, with an MA in sociology and psychology, am a retired teacher and my favourite film is "LA Confidential".

I've seen "28 Days" twice. The first time on TV and the second, just recently on rented DVD, having forgotten I'd already seen it.

The first time I saw it I struggled through it for being a devoted Bullock fan.

The second time, as I started to realize that I'd already seen it, I also found that I could not believe how utterly stupid it was.

The fact that the beginning is, for some reason, an exact copy of "Four Weddings and a Funeral" (which was very good) is by the way, but very unsettling, nonetheless.

If I can centre on just one of its many faults can I point out that a person who is drunk does not necessarily keep giggling inanely at everything she does wrong, including wrecking her sister's wedding cake. She is equally capable of becoming regretful and frustrated and saying *beep* or *beep* it!", very loudly, which might have seemed more convincing in this case, in the light of her being devoted to her sister and not really wanting to wreck her reception.

Is it then safe for me to assume that the "Haters" of this film are mature and that the "Lovers" are childish?

Having said which, does this, then, help me to know to whom I should turn for a reliable review of "Birth", where I notice the reviews are equally contradictory?

Half the films I rent on DVD turn out to be rubbish. It's not as if they are free. I'm starting to think I'd be better of getting books from the library. They are free and I can give them the once over before I borrow them. It's all very frustrating.

[–] erkur 13 years ago

I see right through your childish game, you troll. How is that for being mature?

We're not human beings having a spiritual experience.We're spiritual beings having a human exprnc

[–] george-parker183 13 years ago

This is all a bit ancient. My original complaint, which was made YEARS ago was that it was pathetic to see somebody giggling inanely at smashing up a car.

[–] SteveH2002 13 years ago

I just watched it for the first time. It seemed that Sandra was giggling because she was totally smashed and wasn't sober and rational. I didn't love (or hate) the movie because of that scene, but it seemed a fair representation of someone out of control while on an intoxicating substance. It IS pathetic to see someone giggling in that circumstance, but it demonstrates how far gone she is - so it works.

This is a tough movie to judge. It's has moments of comedy but it deals with a serious subject. Not sure how well the pieces fit. The blond German man with the hornrims strikes a sour note - he, imo, belongs in a farce or a Monty Python skit.

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Pinkkate123 12 years ago

It is pathetic, which is the point. People do stupid things when they are high. That's where the concept lies. It's a film. It's supposed to create a fantasy world based in reality. I think it successfully creates the downward spiral Bullock's character falls into.

Anyone who has ever struggled with abuse will likely find something to attach themselves to in the film. Even people who haven't struggled with it may be able to go on the emotional journey and pain that the characters go through, as evoking emotion is what good actors and actresses are supposed to do.

You can read into whether or not I actually enjoyed the movie by your own account, though if you read carefully you will see that I have not said if I liked it or not. My view of the movie isn't what you asked for. You wanted a logical response. I don't think people who like the movie are childish. I think they simply have a different mindset than the people who didn't like it.

As far as my education and age, I fail to see what that has to do with whether or not I enjoyed the film. Perception is based on our own realities, and everyone has a different view of the world. I could be a successful Harvard graduate in my mid-thirties, or I could be a working class kid with no time and no money to get a higher education. Statistics don't matter when emotions play such a large factor. To judge someone based on their so called qualifications is a bit narrow-minded.

"Jerk!"
"Republican!"
"PIE!!"

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] malus-5 11 years ago

The only thing childish here is to call someone childish for having a different opinion than yours.

I honestly do not care if you liked it or not, but I loved it. I have an alcoholic father who's been in rehab so I know exactly what an alcoholic is like. It may not give the best portrayal of an alcoholic, but it certainly does a better job than movies like "If a man loves a woman".

It needs to be light-hearted, because alcoholism is a horrible illness and it's very hard to deal with an illness like that in a mainstream movie.

Watch Beyond if you want a movie, which portrays the real face of alcoholism.

It is also very important to have some comedic aspects in a film like this, because comedy is a coping-mechanism to a lot of people - myself included.

a person who is drunk does not necessarily keep giggling inanely at everything she does wrong

Btw, people react differently to alcohol. Her giggling at everything is not unrealistic at all.

[–] george-parker183 11 years ago

To giggle at crashing a Rolls Royce is sacrilege - as well as childish.

[–] Furrerd 11 years ago

But appropriate for the character she is playing which may have one of the immature personality disorders.

Some people laugh at destruction; including destruction of very expensive items.

Listen to these people laugh as the destroy a BMW M6 http://youtu.be/_qQndNsBWqE.
Mayor of Lithuanian town rolling over expensive cars, cheering and laughing while sober.
http://www.wimp.com/parkedcars/

Laughing as you destroy something seems to be a very realistic behavior for some humans. You can find a LOT of videos of people laughing as the destroy expensive stuff. Search YouTube for "destroy my" or "smashing"...

"I say life begins at arousal!" - Dan Halen

[–] Osova 11 years ago

19 here. I've only seen this film twice, and the first time I saw it I was very young (my mother also didn't know I was watching it, haha). The overdose scene in the bathroom left a lasting impression on 7 year old me.. but I could never remember what movie this was until recently. So, having just watched it again, I can tell you I'm not impressed. It's not a great movie, nor is it an awful one, but I've certainly seen better.

[–] Furrerd 11 years ago

MA in sociology and psychology

You honestly do not sound like you are up to speed on the recent changes in personality disorders and drug dependency.

Is it then safe for me to assume that the "Haters" of this film are mature and that the "Lovers" are childish?

This^^^ is what your advanced degree and knowledge of the DSM and personality disorders can come up with on an analysis of the fans of this movie? You can't compile a more complex analysis for us?

There are many fans of this movie who have dealt with dependencies, have relatives or friends with these issues or have come from an alcoholic home. Some of the fans of this movie may very well be borderline, narcissistic, antisocial or histrionic with impulse control issues leading to alcoholism and, indeed, these are the "childish" personality disorders. But, these people who have made no head way into treating their personality disorder and are still addicts would very likely HATE this movie because it's confronting facts about themselves they do not wish to face. They would criticize and defame this movie as it makes them uncomfortable.

So it's more likely that some of the worse haters are the ones with untreated, immature style (childish) personality disorders.

Some fans just love Sandra in anything she does.

"I say life begins at arousal!" - Dan Halen

[–] Gabe1972 10 years ago

You are quite possibly the most narrow minded person I have ever known on these boards. Of course this movie does not do exactly what you think it should.

We all know that any drunk person who does not do exactly what you think they should is unrealistic.

And, of course, we all know that if any person doesn't see this movie EXACTLY the way you see it, they are childish.

I'm reasonably sure that you have absolutely ZERO friends, as you would not be able to deal with any response or emotion that you don't think fits any given situation. God help the people around you.

Get a cat, as you can argue with each other on a regular basis about how you, and the cat, are doing everything wrong.

The plural of mouse is mice. The plural of goose is geese. Why is the plural of moose not meese?