I saw EWS when it came out. Kubrick is my favorite director so went in with huge expectations. The movie was a disappointment. Most of my criticism is with Nicole Kidman. She is staggeringly beautiful but I find her a poor actress. At least in EWS she is. It might be that her character is poorly written. In her two key scenes she is apparently smashed on champagne and later weirded out on dope. She doesn't seem believable in either scenario. The film itself however is definitely watchable and many of the Kubrick touches are here. Over lit scenes, long set pieces, weird characters, slowly creeping tracking shots all the trademarks of a Kubrick movie can be found. Cruise stumbles upon the uber wealthy engaging in nefarious sexual practices. There are far reaching consequences for this discovery. Pretty harrowing stuff. It seemed like fiction at the time, but with the apparent suicide of Jeffrey Epstein and his association with the rich and powerful Trump, Clinton etc. EWS may be a lot closer to a terrifying truth than we know.
Review of Eyes Wide Shut
