Holy Smoke Review
by Robert Strohmeyer (cnull AT mindspring DOT com)January 13th, 2000
filmcritic.com presents a review from staff member Robert Strohmeyer.
You can find the review with full credits at
http://www.filmcritic.com/misc/emporium.nsf/2a460f93626cd4678625624c007f2b46/8730b4327ec078fd88256864001e0c14?OpenDocument
Holy Smoke
A film review by Robert Strohmeyer
Director: Jane Campion
Producers: Jan Chapman
Screenwriter: Anna Campion and Jane Campion
Stars: Kate Winslet, Harvey Keitel, Pam Grier
MPAA Rating: R
Year of Release: 1999
It’s so comforting to see a talented actor recover from the precarious
heights of mass-market success. After TITANIC, I was perfectly prepared
to condemn Kate Winslet to the same pit of has-been obscurity Leonardo
DiCaprio belongs in. Fortunately, Winslet didn’t sink with the ship.
HOLY SMOKE is the entrancing story of two zealots on a collision course
with fate. Ruth, played by Winslet, is a young Australian who finds
what she believes to be the path to enlightenment through the influence
of a Guru while on holiday in India. When Mum (Julie Hamilton) gets
word, she cooks up a plot to lure Ruth home and hires top cult
deprogrammer PJ Waters (Harvey Keitel) to bring her daughter to reason.
Once trapped by her family, Ruth agrees to spend three days with
Waters, beginning a game of cat-and-mouse that blurs all boundaries
between therapist and patient. The balance of power turns when PJ falls
under Ruth’s seduction, leading them both on a descent into madness that
is disturbing, enchanting, and sickly hilarious.
Winslet is positively enthralling in her role, presenting an inspired
encore to her 1999 performance in Gillies MacKinnon’s HIDEOUS KINKY.
Keitel is intense and commanding, tapping into the same hardcore
energies we saw in Abel Ferrara’s 1992 shocker, BAD LIEUTENANT. For
what it’s worth, I’m predicting Oscar nominations.
Once in a while, first-rate acting meets up with powerful directorial
and cinemagraphic vision to make a truly great film and this time it’s
the audience who got lucky. Cinematographer Dion Beebe and director
Jane Campion (THE PIANO) deserve strong kudos for this one. Also worth
mentioning is the comic and bizarre contribution of the supporting cast,
including Pam Grier (JACKIE BROWN). Sophie Lee (MURIEL’S WEDDING) is a
complete riot as Ruth’s incompetent sister. I suspect much of Grier’s
work on this film is cluttering the cutting room floor, and her
character is just never realized. Outside of this one shortcoming, HOLY
SMOKE is a masterpiece. See this movie.
5 stars [highest rating]
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Christopher Null - cnull@mindspring.com - http://www.filmcritic.com
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