Rick is a rare feature that makes intelligent and exciting use of audience bewilderment. From its opening scenes, this quirky update of Verdi's Rigoletto thrusts viewers into a bizarre corporate culture in which mean-spiritedness, adolescent high jinks, and general dimwittedness are the norm, but there is no explanation as to why. Yet it's impossible to turn away from the madness and decadence of scenes in which Bill Pullman's middle-aged executive, Rick, engages in monstrous behavior toward
subordinates or exchanges in fraternal obscenities with his young, clueless boss, Duke (Aaron Stanford), who is routinely enjoying anonymous, online sex with Rick's daughter, Eve (Agnes Bruckner). Screenwriter Daniel Handler, better known to the world as author Lemony Snicket, and director Curtiss Clayton slowly introduce enough background to unlock the central tragedy in this tale, and lead everyone to a shared, startling destiny. Cinematographer Lisa Rinzler (Pollock) sets everything against a fantastic cityscape and voyeuristic hell. --Tom Keogh
An ill-advised combination of tragedy and satire, it generally plays like the coffee-break fantasy of a temp who messed up a lunch order and paid for it with his dignity.
It's rotten to the core and right down to the end. But if you find that such extremes can be fascinating, then the movie may cheer you, not because it is happy, but because it goes for broke.
Daniel Handler's script has snap, crackle and pop (he's the author of the popular Lemony Snicket children's books), and Curtiss Clayton's direction is darkly crisp.
Julgando que ambientar Rigoletto nos dias atuais é o bastante para ser aplaudido, o filme erra nos diálogos e no tom da narrativa, tornando-se insípido e descartável.
Very funny, very dark and very clever -- a tale of the corporate id gone wild that promises to upset even the most jaded and hardened of sensibilities.
Wcreenwriter Daniel Handler [(a.k.a. Lemony Snicket)] employs an O. Henry-like twist of irony that first-time director Curtiss Clayton telegraphs long before it strikes.
beware chinese curses. sadly there are really people in the world like this. in the end all this film gave me was a bad feeling in the pit of my gut. meaning the creators did a good job of getting their point across.
(***): It is a good movie but it isn't exactly something I'm going to watch again anytime soon. Pullman is good here and you truly do come to hate his character.
No quotes approved yet for Rick. Logged in users can submit quotes.
Submit a Quote from 'Rick'
A quote can be a single line from one character or a memorable dialog between several characters. Please make your quotes accurate. Quotes will be submitted for approval by the RT staff.
Example:
Luke: Alright. I'll give it a try. Yoda: No. Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.
Top Critic
