Cold Souls
Reviewed by
Jamie Painter Young
August 10, 2009
Swayed by the soul-sucking company's owner, Dr. Flintstein, played by the always-compelling David Strathairn, Giamatti signs on, leaving his soul in a jar and his emotional strife behind. The problem is that, like any talented artist, Giamatti needs his soul to achieve high art. Without it, he's a B-level actor unable to dig deep into his characters, and his career will soon be over. Furthermore, his marriage to his wife, Claire (Emily Watson), is negatively impacted by his drastic personality change and secretive behavior. Giamatti tries to get his soul back, which is far more complicated than he thought it would be. First, his soul is missing out of the Manhattan locker it was stored in. Turns out it's been stolen by Russian mule Nina (Dina Korzun), who illegally transports souls for the black market. Meanwhile, Flintstein offers Giamatti a borrowed soul from the company's catalog so the actor can survive his Vanya run. He reluctantly agrees, taking on the emotional essence of an anonymous Russian poet, who it turns out is not a poet at all but a cash-strapped Russian factory worker. From there, Giamatti literally goes soul-searching, going to St. Petersburg to track down the mysterious factory worker and his own stolen soul. Giamatti gives a hilarious deadpan performance. Not since his portrayal of eccentric comic-book writer Harvey Pekar in American Splendor have we seen him embracing such dark comedy. Korzun gives an intense—dare I say soulful—performance as a rogue woman with a conscience. Watson is fine but underused, given her talents. In a supporting role, Katheryn Winnick is thoroughly entertaining as Nina's mobster boss' spoiled wife, Sveta, a Russian soap star who seeks the soul of a famous American actor—preferably Robert De Niro—to boost her craft. Genre: Dark comedy Written and directed by: Sophie Barthes Starring: Paul Giamatti, David Strathairn, Dina Korzun, Emily Watson "Cold Souls" plays the Los Angeles Film Festival Thu., June 25, 7 p.m., at Mann Festival Theatre and Sat., June 27, 1:30 p.m., at the Regent. www.lafilmfest.com. |
|
|
|
|
Post a Comment
More Movie / TV Reviews
ADVERTISEMENT
Sponsors
Events Calendar
Industry Grosses
| Rank | Title | Gross |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | WICKED | $1,337,056 |
| 2. | BILLY ELLIOT: THE MUSICAL | $1,075,181 |
| 3. | JERSEY BOYS | $1,067,889 |
| 4. | THE LION KING | $939,523 |
| 5. | A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC | $905,001 |
| 6. | WEST SIDE STORY | $813,378 |
| 7. | A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE | $731,939 |
| 8. | MAMMA MIA! | $573,759 |
| 9. | MARY POPPINS | $550,048 |
| 10. | SOUTH PACIFIC | $541,860 |
Week ending January 31.
Credit: The Broadway League
| Rank | Title | Gross |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | AVATAR | $31,280,029 |
| 2. | EDGE OF DARKNESS | $17,214,384 |
| 3. | WHEN IN ROME | $12,350,041 |
| 4. | TOOTH FAIRY | $9,998,109 |
| 5. | THE BOOK OF ELI | $8,908,286 |
| 6. | LEGION | $7,176,375 |
| 7. | THE LOVELY BONES | $4,726,828 |
| 8. | SHERLOCK HOLMES | $4,515,344 |
| 9. | ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: THE.. | $3,997,136 |
| 10. | IT'S COMPLICATED | $3,804,215 |
Week ending January 31.
