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jeff_v [ 7.0 ]
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I feared the worst --lampooning beauty pageants is shooting fish in a barrel, but Michael Ritchie's Smile is yet another example of the peak period of American filmmaking. Many of the contestants are sympathetic, and the film's downbeat ending speaks to the malaise that encroached upon American optimism. It's also a nifty time capsule. In a weird way, it's specificy of time and location hasn't dated it but made it more authentic.
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Dancing_P [ 6.5 ]
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Michael Ritchie is one of the most undervalued American directors of the 70's and I say this while acknowledging that none of the films I've seen from the period are actually great. In many ways Ritchie's semi-documentary approach and satirical bent was as important to shaping the cinematic landscape of the 70's as someone like Bob Rafelson or Mike Nichols. Problem is, Ritchie was developing a style that's become so standard now we're less impressed by the technique and more focused on the content - content that hasn't aged terribly well. Smile is ostensibly a take-no-prisoners satire that sticks it to pretty much everyone, but its targets are so obvious in this day and age that the film stands out as bitter and repetitive.
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| Weighted Rating | : 6.7 |
| No. Ratings | : 2 | |
| No. Reviews | : 2 | |
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