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This is another film that was/is on the Comcast roster of freebies. Made in 2002, it stars Matt Dillon, who also directed and co-wrote it. As I heard, it was his first directing gig. Dillon plays a scam artist who got scammed by the guy that he learned scamming from, so tracks him down in Cambodia to get his scammed money back. Things happen to him in the process that change him. Other characters are James Caan, Stellen Skarsgard, Gerard Depardieu, and Natascha McElhone (probably best remembered from Solaris).
The setting is the star here; post-Khmer Rouge Phnom Penh and the Cambodian countryside. Lots of it. Cambodians are prominent cast members. Much of the filming was done in the streets. The effects of the Khmer holocaust are not masked in any way; this is an old country still raw and on its heels. A line in the film, "The whole country could use a coat of paint."
Its a good movie largely because of the travelogue look at this interesting country. Caan and Skarsgard are great, but its too long, with a bit of waiting-for-Godot quality in the form of "Where's Marvin (Caan)?" I enjoyed it. For the money, it's great.
conveyed. Things can be that weird over there. That damned monkey was a mess.
I viewed that one some time ago. Perhaps when it was freshly out on video. My vague recollection suggests untrustworthy people operating in an extremely bleak and desolate Cambodian environment. Not a thrill ride or action adventure film.
Although the cultural value to the film probably warrants another look. And maybe a second viewing could reveal more valuable content than the memory of my first exposure to it suggests.
I'll look for it.
-Steve
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