The Hudsucker Proxy | | Cast : | Tim Robbins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Paul Newman | | Director : | Ethan Coen, Joel Coen | | Studio : | Warner Studios | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, HiFi Sound, Dolby, Widescreen | | Released Date : | March 11, 1994 | | DVD Released Date : | June 07, 2005 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), French (Dubbed), French (Subtitled), English (Subtitled), English (Original Language), French (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | July 28, 2005 | | Summary | You know, for kids! | Content
 | (...) The Hudsucker Proxy is not a children's movie. Although some children, and particularly adults who are 'young at heart' will appreciate the antics of the title character (played superbly by Tim Robbins), the film is really for those who are fans of first-rate, rapid-fire dialogue, and sublte (often mislabelled as 'quirky') humor. OR fans of the Coen Brothers, OR of Tim Robbins. All are in their prime here.
(...), the true greatness of this movie is revealed in the fact that, while the story is engaging, and the portrayals are all spot-on for a comedic take on a story of innocence and corruption (not to mention it has Paul Newman), like Monty Python's work, there's a gem to be uncoverred in almost every single line of dialogue. Consequently, it just gets better and better with repeated viewings, and fans of quoting movies will have a treasure trove of useful one-liners on their hands.
My favorite scene? It's got to be the two over-worked, lunchbreak New York cabbies who narrate, in their own unique way, the scam-in-progress first meeting between our two main characters, seated across a diner from them, beginning with the line:
"Enter the Dame. There's one in every story..."
I've used that one many times myself. |
| Rating | | | Date | June 28, 2005 | | Summary | Underrated Coen Brothers film | Content
| I'm not going to break down the storyline, characters, and other technicalities because I think everyone else has done a sufficient job of that on this review section. But I do highly recommend seeing this movie. The Hudsucker Proxy may not be the Coen brothers best or most widely accepted work to date, but it's definitely worth checking out if you like their other films that are more family oriented like O Brother Where Art Thou and Raizing Arizona. |
| Rating | | | Date | June 09, 2005 | | Summary | Like Lebowski, this one grows on you | Content
| Both the Hudsucker Proxy and the Big Lebowski took a while for me to warm up to, but the more often I see them the more I enjoy them. They are both gutsy experiments in film with Lebowski being a hard-nosed detective story mixed with the least competent (or at least someone who you would assume to be the least competent) detective working on the case. The "Hud" is a nod to the old Capra films and the Coen brothers obviously love playing with different styles of film to follow the conventions while making their own spins on the genres. The Coens are the only director/writers/producers who seem to be able to do this consistently without becoming annoying or overly self-referential. The Horatio Algiers-ish story of the hardworking rube coming to the big city to make his fortune and succeeding against all odds is funny and engaging. The actors, design, dialoge, mood (especially the washed out lighting used throughout the movie), are all meticulously put together to make a fantastically entertaining movie. Tim Robbins, Jennifer Jason Leigh and John Mahoney turn in fantastic performances and what can you say about Paul Newman? The guy steps into his role flawlessly and delivers crisp and menacing dailog beautifully.
Peter Ward |
| Rating | | | Date | February 20, 2005 | | Summary | You'll Either Love It Or Hate It | Content
| Positives:
1) It is original, different, and fun. If you are tired of the same ol' movie that Hollywood basically stamps from a mold then you might enjoy the different pace of this movie.
2) Humor. Some of the humor is over the top and some of the parts where they were reaching for a laugh will actually have you looking at your neighbor and sighing. However, if you stick with it, there are a few parts that are actually worth laughing at. But be prepared, it is a different type of humor that I can imagine many won't understand.
3) Family Friendly (almost). For the most part, the women are dressed modestly and there is no cussing. However, there are some thematic elements (i.e., suicide and corporate scandals) that you might want to be ready to explain to the kids. Not recommended for really young children.
Negatives
1) Plot. Well, the plot of the good-natured person that somebody raises to the top to walk all over them has been done and redone so many times that this just becomes a Hollywood cliche. However, the plot is also fairly unrealistic.
2) Easy Way Out. Okay, it seems that whenever our "hero" is in a bind, something pops up unexpectedly that ends up saving the day. That aspect actually lacks of creativity... which is something we have come to expect from the Coen brothers. Wait until you see how our Barnes survives slipping on the ledge of a 44/45 story building.
3) Boring. Though the people are pretty fast talkers, the pace of the movie is actually pretty slow... as if the creators were trying to find out how to stretch it out into a full-length movie.
4) Acting. Oh, the acting is atrocious. Don't be looking for any academy award acting here (I never looked, but I highly suspect nobody was nominated here). The acting is waaaaay over the top and distracts from the story being told.
So, you may love it and you may hate it. I hope I've helped you figure out which group you belong in. Not recommended to watching in groups as this will not please everybody. |
| Rating | | | Date | January 27, 2005 | | Summary | Silly, Sorry, Skip It | Content
| This is not one of Newman's better flics. The plot is ridiculous, the acting is so so and the characters are actually annoying. |
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