The Face Of An Angel

There have been a lot of discussions on why male actors, are paid more than female actors. I personally think that if you do the same job, you get paid the same salary. Women have protested against this in many years, and i support their voices. Just because some male actors are paid more, does not make them better actors. The fact is that some women are better actors than men, even if this is something certain men would not agree on. So why did i bring this up ? I think it is important to discuss, because we need to be respected equal, no matter if we are men or women.

Now to my review.

There are an handful of british actors that have made it in the movie industry. One of my personal favourites is without a doubt Helen Mirren. Tough as hell, and yet she can do so many great characters, in all genres, and she feels so natural. I recommend you see her against Al Pacino in the HBO film Phil Spector, they are both really good, based on the true case. I will be seeing her latest film Woman In Gold in the theatre soon, and of course i will write a review on the film. Speaking of British actors, most of you must remember Kate Beckinsale. Ever since the first Underworld film was released, men all over the world fell in love with the vampire and werewolf killer, dressed in outfits that was made for her. But here is the thing, i actually liked some other of her films, have anyone seen Nothing But The Truth ? Or perhaps you remember the wonderful film Everybody´s Fine with Robert De Niro ? ( Buy this film, it is that good ´). Since most people know her from the Underworld films, it is nice to see her try different characters in different genres. I know that she is working on another Underworld film, but she also have some other films coming out, so we will be seeing her do many more projects ahead. Do you remember the case of Amanda Knox, the american woman who was accused of murdering Meredith Kurcher back in 2007 ? I followed this case, both through news, but also watched documentaries, because there was a lot of details that did not feel correct. And the investigation by the italian police felt strange, as if they missed important details. Amanda Knox was free completely on 27th march this year, and this case seems to be solved. Or is it really ? The Face Of An Angel is a new film, based on this case, with Kate Beckinsale, and Daniel Bruhl among the actors. When i weard about this film, i became interested to see if it gives us an interesting view on the case. Since this is a very sensitive case worldwide, does The Face Of An Angel give us the details we wanted to know, or is this just another film made from true events, with no substance at all ?

Film maker Thomas ( Daniel Bruhl ) is preparing himself to make a new film, based on the case on the murder of Meredith Kurcher in Italy. He arrange a meeting with author Simone Ford ( Kate Beckinsale ). She agree to let him use some facts from her book, but also tell him not to use too many details, that he have to try and find information himself also. Thomas begin listening at the court sessions, to hear the investigators talk about the case and to learn more about the evidence. It becomes more clear that the italian police have made some mistakes at the crime scene, that could have helped them solve this case. One night out at a bar, Thomas meet young student Melanie ( Cara Delevingne ). She becomes curious about his work around the murder case and begin seeing him. While Thomas continue to find information, he meets a man called Fransesco ( Corrardo Invernizzi ), who says he knows the truth of the story. But does he really know the truth, or is Thomas just being tricked to belive in something else ?

Let´s make this clear, if you were hoping for an oscar winner, this is not the film to look for. The Face Of An Angel is more of an thriller drama, released straight to dvd instead of cinemas worldwide. That does not mean this is terrible, just because it is not a massive Hollywood production. Now, we have to talk about something important. This film is directed by Michael Winterbottom. This man have directed some really good films in the past, like Welcome To Sarajevo, 24 Hour Party People, and A Mighty Heart. So we know that he can make powerful stories come to life on the big screen. The Face Of An Angel feels very light, by that i mean that this film feels a bit too simple for the subject. If you are going to make a film, based on a true case, make sure it feels interesting. The problem with this film, is that you really don´t feel like the characters care about the case. The acting may not be terrible all the way, but the film feels too dull, and with such an important case as this, it is not acceptable. Usually Daniel Bruhl have a screen presence in his characters, here he does not shine like he usually does, and he is the lead actor. He is not bad,  buti would have liked to see him more emotional, and show more frustration over his investigation on the case. Kate Beckinsale does her performance pretty good, but the best actor here is without a doubt Cara Delevingne. Her character Melanie is both realistic, interesting and you feel curious about her personality. The story about the film maker, making a film on this case, is not completely wasted. Since the case is very unique, and had many twists and turns, we get different perspectives from what might have happened. The Face Of An Angel have some interesting points to share, surrounding the case of Meredith Kurcher. In the end, there are just too little details, and you eventually feel bored in some scenes. I respect director Michael Winterbottom for his work as an director, because he have made some wonderful films in the past. This one does not lift to that level, and that is such a shame. Maybe someday we will get a film based on this case, made in a different and more interesting way. By the way, i am looking forward to see Daniel Bruhl in one of his fresh upcoming films called Burnt, with Bradley Cooper, it will be released in October this year. The premise of that film sound interesting.

Rating: DD