Movie Review (3): Premonition

By Anne Brodie Mar 16, 2007, 13:46 GMT

About a woman (Bullock) whose husband (McMahon) reappears the day after his death. ...more

I’m sorry but when a movie is shot almost exclusively in tight close-ups on the star, I quickly lose interest. I want to see how their actions and character sit against the background of their world, their actions fleshed out by context.

Sure Sandra Bullock’s a beauty always looking good in her tight close-ups, but we need more.

I know where the filmmakers are coming from – they think showing the characters eyes endlessly will somehow transfer their feelings to us, but alas, they are dreaming. Especially in a film as trumped up and convoluted as this one that requires a world to counter the endless introspection.

I want writing, atmosphere, narrative and intelligent sweep. Like the rest of us, I very rarely look tightly into people’s faces for extended periods of time because I am usually taking in the entirety of things.

This artificial constraint is distracting and takes me out of the movie.

Also, who the hell did Bullock’s hair? These tight close-ups are often of just hair, matted, curly, pinned back, crazy – so much hair. Again, give me exposition, not hair and weepy eyes and nose.

These are not small concerns.

So Bullock s trapped in a time wave – or something. Her husband’s alive one minute, dead the next, she can’t keep up and is beside herself, naturally.

She’s telling people he’s dead when he’s alive and that he’s alive when he’s dead. She knows he was killed in a car crash at highway marker 220

(not 23, thank God).

Her adorable children are devoted to her and don’t shame her when she gets out of hand. Everyone else has had it up to here so they throw her into the asylum.

She’s in restraints and getting an injection and boom – it’s a red herring. A time wave problem to be sure, but a big hole in the narrative and my suspension of disbelief.

Okay so back at home, apparently released within moments of getting her shot, she sits down with pen and paper to logs the crazy events of the past few days – his death, burial, her trips to the shrink, the discovery of a possible mistress etc. and pinpoints the fatal crash to Wednesday.

She gathers the details and sets out to prevent the fiery crash that allegedly took his life.

Julian McMahon does a serviceable job in the role of distant husband, cheater and reformed husband and Kate Nelligan is beautifully nuanced as always, here as Bullock’s impatient mother.

Amber Valetta is surprisingly convincing as the potential mistress – what a welcome surprise from the model turned actor. She evens appears in a scene red eyed from crying and without hair and makeup! Bravo!

Nia Long is sensational in a role that allows her a definitive mood swing, at least from Bullock’s point of view. Long is underappreciated but a strong actor.

The film leaves me cold and apparently left others cold, but amused, judging by the laughter in the theater at the wrong moments.

Just love the poster though.

Premonition
35 mm thriller
Written by Bill Kelly
Directed by Mennan Yapo
Runtime: 96 minutes

Opens wide USA March 16th