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Click above to purchase "Grand Canyon" at amazon.com
Grand Canyon
review by Zach B.
Rated R
Studio: Fox
Running Time: 137 minutes
Starring Danny Glover, Kevin Kline, Steve Martin, Mary
McDonnell, Mary-Louise Parker, Alfre Woodard
Written by Lawrence Kasdan and Meg Kasdan
Directed by Lawrence Kasdan
Retail Price: $24.98
Features: Theatrical Trailers, Featurette
Specs: 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen, English Dolby
Surround 4.0, English Dolby Surround, French Dolby Surround,
English Subtitles, French Subtitles, Chapter Search (32
Chapters)
After attending a basketball game with his best friend
Davis (a fabulous Steve Martin), lawyer Mack (an excellent
Kevin Kline) is on his way home when he gets lost in a bad
Los Angeles neighborhood. To make things worse, his car
breaks down. Surrounded by some gang members and fearing for
his life, the tow truck he called earlier arrives just in
time, and the driver, Simon (a powerful Danny Glover) ends
up saving his life. That moment changes their lives forever,
as it brings two people from different worlds together. A
number of other plots involved, such as Mack's wife finding
a lost baby, Mack himself wondering about his life, Davis
coming to grips with his life and changing his ways after he
is shot and Simon's sister trying to cope with the harsh
life she lives in. Somehow, all the characters and stories
intertwine, making one unforgettable and deep movie.
It's really hard to put a movie like this in words, but
I'm going to do my best. I know a lot of people didn't like
this movie, while a lot of other people loved it. I'm with
the latter. People felt this movie was stereotypical, sappy,
manipulative, schmaltzy, had clichéd characters and
was pretty stupid at what it tried to attempt and show. I,
personally, disagree. Yes, I will admit the characters are
nothing new and we've seen a lot of them over and over
before, but I still found them very interesting with some
good depth. As far as what this movie conveys, I think it
does a fantastic job and you really get something out of it,
something to carry. It seems so simple, but there's just a
lot to it.
This movie is nearly ten years old, and while it may seem
a tad bit out of date (many can say that situations in urban
areas have gotten better or gotten worse), I think it holds
up really well. It's really about people from different
worlds who are trying to cope with their lives. Everyone has
some kind of internal conflict they have to face and
realize, and with it, lives intertwine. No matter how rich
one may be and how poor another seems, they are closer
together than one may originally think. Mack and Simon form
a bond and seem to have a lot in common. But I really like
what this movie conveys. About life and people in general.
Who we are and what we are.
Many argue that Kasdan is one of those filmmakers who are
stronger writers than directors, but I disagree. Kasdan
co-wrote "Grand Canyon" with his wife Meg, and he directed
it. While Kasdan and his wife got a lot of nominations for
the brilliant screenplay, the movie itself was overlooked
and snubbed. I felt the movie deserved a lot of higher
honors. Back to Kasdan as a director now, he is a very good
visionary. He has excellent techniques and shots in the
film, and some wonderful transitions and symbolisms. His all
star cast is terrific, some of the finest I've seen.
Everyone gives a deep, heartfelt performance. The characters
seem really, really real and have a fine edge to them, plus
some nice development, despite the clichés. The
performances in this movie really deserved some more
recognition.
It's a shame in this world we can't all get along. Some
of us hate other people's views. Some of us hate colors of
skin. Some of us hate beliefs and religons. However, if you
put us together, we have a lot in common. People have a lot
of the same interest, and no one will be able to understand
why other people hate over stupid, silly things. It's really
sad how people can't overlook the little things, things that
don't matter at all. People stereotype one another. But with
this movie, things are looked passed that. People get along.
People bond. Yet with it, there is a harsh reality to life.
There's some uneasiness during Mack and Simon during chapter
19 (by the car), but they find a way to look past it all.
Again, tere's a lot of harsh reality to life. About hate,
about families, about dreams, about classes, about people.
But there's more to "Grand Canyon" then about people from
different sides coming together to face life. It's also
about choices, and how one moment can affect our lives
forever. Mack faces a few of those as we see, and his
thoughts are insightful and really well played out. This
movie not only makes a good point about racial barriers,
people overcoming them and people stereotyping, but about
different classes coming together as well, and no matter how
bad off or how good life can seem, we all have insecurities
and challanges. What people have to face, what can be
improved, what people want and a sense of stablitiy and
happiness.
Still, "Grand Canyon" is not without its flaws. I felt
there could have been even more to Mack and Simon's
relationship, as well as Simon's relationships to Jane and
his deaf daughter. I also felt that there could have been
more of Davis, and some more depth to Simon's nephew.
I really love "Grand Canyon". The screenplay is terrific,
with some fantastic lines, monologues and moments. It's just
really well developed and written, there's so much to it and
so much meaning as well as many symbolisms. The acting is
phenomenal with great chemistry and the film is well shot
and really well made. James Newton Howard's score is also
excellent, really representing the movie scene by scene. But
what I like most is the message, what goes on. There's
smooth transitions and the movie has a great, even pace for
137 minutes. This movie has such a sense of honesty and
truth. "Grand Canyon" is a lot about the human spirit, and
while broken down it may seem like nothing new, there's a
lot to absorb and think about. I highly urge everyone to see
this movie.
"Grand Canyon" is not perfect, but it's a very sharp and
another excellent Fox transfer. The film is presented in
2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. I admit images do appear soft
at time, and there's an abundance of grain and dirt which
can be distracting, but this is an excellent transfer.
Colors are vibrant and bold, and there's very good detail
and black level. There's some slight shimmering here and
there, but it's hardly noticeable and not that distracting.
This is top-notch.
Presented in 4.0 Dolby Surround, I was really surprised
how good this track was. It's very discreete and features a
wonderful amount of surrounds. From gunshots, to the loud
cheers and music at the basketball game and the earthquake
scene, the 4.0 track may not be 5.1, but still brings the
movie to life a great deal. I really felt like I was
experiencing it, it's just a wonderful track. Even the
smallest sound like footsteps sounds great. This is a very
impressive track.
Sadly, there's not much for "Grand Canyon". The
Theatrical Trailer is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic
widescreen and two channel sound, and there's a short
Featurette that doesn't offer too much on the movie
itself. It has clips and interviews, but it's pretty fluffy.
Also included are trailers for Smilla's Sense Of
Snow, Inventing The Abbots, Paradise Road,
The Ice Storm and Titus, all in anamorphic
widescreen.
While one could wish for more supplements, like a
commentary from the Kasdans or a cast commentary, but then
again, this movie speaks for itself. Good transfer and great
sound make this a decent overall package for a wonderful
film. Recommended.
 (4.5/5 - NOT included in
final score)
 (4/5)
(4/5)
 (1/5)
 (3.5/5, NOT an average)
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