Che

So today I saw Che and it's safe for me to say that this is the best movie I've seen of 2009 thus far. I'm also willing to say that had I been lucky enough to watch it in 2008 it would have been up there if not at the top of that list as well. It's an even handed, engrossing, intimate look at one of the most enigmatic and polarizing figures of the 20th century.

Che is performed magnificently by Benicio Del Toro and is reigned in magnificently by Steven Soderbergh. It would be so easy to load this movie full of passionate and rousing speeches and that would undoubtedly have been the route of 99% of the directors in the world it also would be counter to the worldview that Che was purported to have. That being a man of the people who if nothing else believed himself an equal to those he was leading. Del Toro did a magnificent job of allowing this to shine through and Soderbergh countered this by elevating him through top notch filmmaking. It's clear through use of low angle shots, lighting, and costume design that Soderbergh at the very least respected Che and his commitment to the cause so therefore such an even handed look is to be commended.

Che is clearly not perfect and the failure of the Bolivian revolution illustrates this. The failure isn't his fault specifically but his failure to recognize the mood of the populace was. The people of bolivia were in a decidedly different frame of mind. Cuba was itching for a change and Bolivia was not but Che's tunnel vision and his failure to understand that others may not share his point of view didn't allow him to see this made all the more ironic considering Che outlines at the beginning that the success of a revolution depends on the people and their desire for it during an an interview in New York. It's this reason why spending two hours on each revolution is necessary. Watching the positive momentum build in Cuba and comparing that to slow but utterly complete descent into failure in Bolivia is fascinating.

The only criticism I have is that the use of people like Lou Diamind Phillips and Matt Damon, as good as they were, may be a mistake. When they make their way on screen they make themselves instantly the focus. It's entirely possible that this is Soderbergh's intent seeing as the two characters play integral parts in the failure of the revolution. I'll have to watch it again...or interview him to be sure.

Postively, we are given terrific performances by Franke Potente who completely emmerses herself in the role and is all but invisible. The music is strange for a war film but oddly fitting. The cinematography was terrific as well.

I also need to give credit to the production companies who allowed Soderbergh to make the film he clearly wanted. They spent a serious amount of money on a film with almost no commercial value considering it's nearly four and a half hours and is almost entirely in Spanish.

In closing, sure, I suppose one could make a shorter movie, but why? It's a terrific four and a half hour case study into Che himself and revolution. It's utterly engrossing and worth every minute. If it takes watching each part in two days, by all means do it. It is more than worth your time and definitely doesn't deserve any pre wrapped straws (if you'll recall, that's good!!). It disappoints me that this was entirely forgotten at Award time as it definitely deserved recognition.

When you get the chance, watch and enjoy.