Cannes Review Round-Up: Doug Liman's "Fair Game"

Next up for reviewing is Doug Limon's (The Bourne Identity) latest film: the Valerie Plame story, titled Fair Game, with Naomi Watts and Sean Penn. Limon, who's more know for his flashier, action-oriented films, is in relatively new territory with a thriller that has to engage purely with words, and without any chases or fights. I haven't been able to find too many reviews to choose from, but the general consensus seem solid, if not ecstatic. IndieWire's Eric Kohn isn't too enthusiastic, saying that the film "only occasionally moves beyond the level of a solid made-for-TV-movie" (yikes). Kohn does go on to say, though, that Penn and Watts's performances "ensure that the stronger bits hold together," and that the film "builds to an admirably intelligent perspective in its middle section." Brad Brevet over at Rope of Silicon is much more positive, giving the film a grade of 'B+'. He says that "Watts and Penn are excellent," citing Penn's restraint and claiming that Watts "will most likely make a change at the Best Actress category come nomination time in one of her better performances to date." Brevet goes on to praise the film's pacing, saying that after its run time of 1 hr 46 min, "you certainly wouldn't mind if it had gone further." The Guardian, which has yet to publish a full review, mentions the film in a column about film at Cannes with mixed emotion. Xan Brooks says he's not totally sold on the film, in part because it's "too stolid, too by-the-book." James Rocchi of IFC, however, says that Fair Game "specifically succeeds as ambitious and engaging cinema." Finally, The Playlist offers up a review in the middle ground. Kevin Jagernauth writes that while the opening is strange and that "Limon assumes the audience knows nothing about the post-9/11 lead in to the war," he goes on to say that "as the film moves into its second half...the film rockets forward." However, Jagernauth says the film ends on a false note involving a speech by Penn's character to high school students about democracy. That said, he praises the performances, writing that "Watts and Penn are in top form here."

[current] Cannes Verdict: A fact-based, political thriller that walks a fine line between compelling thriller and bland procedural drama.