On "Redbelt"

"Redbelt" was of interest to me mainly because of the involvement of David Mamet. I can't recall whether it was "Glengarry Glenross" or "The Spanish Prisoner" which I saw first, but I found them both to be fabulous, and have been a fan of David Mamet since. He has a particular quality to his work which agrees with me. His films are populated with hard, driven people (mainly men). They're aggressive and cool, and their dialogue sounds like no real person I've ever heard. Often the plots become quite complicated and labyrinthine. Even so, I think that he often captures truth.

With this film, he does not really rise to the level of previous works. At least, that's the case in my estimation. I like it alright, if only to see the very skilled character actors who frequently appear in Mamet's projects. Actors like Ricky Jay, David Paymer, Joe Mantegna and others may not be able to carry films on their own, but add a certain immeasurable depth and richness that I personally highly prize.

Not a bad idea, but not executed as well as it might have been. I did find the lead actor to be ok. Perhaps he might achieve acclaim in another film. He'll probably warrant that.