Hugh Grant as a rotter is
peerless, as it were. It's the only film I've seen him act in,
and he is as dissolute and corrupt as they come. Once, maybe
twice, the awshucks (UK-style) stammering, stuttering thingie he
Does in all his other films is enough. In this one, he's nasty,
base, controlling, careless and predatory. If the reason you
couldn't feature him as a rotter is the reason you've avoided the
film, by all means, reconsider.
It's a mean time the film's set in, and has
some desperately mean and sad caricatures/characterizations.
Rickman is complete and completely wonderful at representing one
with great talent and no small self-hatred, who, ultimately,
unlike his counterpart -- Grant -- and unlike the 'girl' he falls
for -- can't recall her name, but she's pretty damn impressive,
for her age -- has a soul and a being and a conscious and the
ability to see himself and his life in perspective. If you're one
for fetal-positioning films, this is one for the Top 10 List.
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