Mark Gettes

Renate Reinsve is simply the most fascinating actress in the world to watch, and the film is nuanced and absorbing - like life, only better.

So overhyped and overrated - it’s an Emperor’s New Clothes phenomenon- you don’t want to be the one to call it out because then will be voted Uncool. But it spells out things that have been said so many times before, but here we’re supposed to act like those are a revelation. An example - a scene where a blues musician is playing - and then is magically joined by an African musician on a rudimentary instrument, then a Hendrix-like figure on electric guitar. Wow - you mean, there’s a connection from African music to blues to rock? If to you that’s a profound and original idea, then you’ll think this is a deep movie….

Conceptually interesting, I suppose - so critics will like it because it will give them a lot to write about - but the actual experience of watching it is terrible. Formal visually, but flat. Overall, almost unwatchable.

The movie tells an important story, and DiCaprio and DeNiro show what marvelous actors they are. But my god, the movie is waaaaay too long! Scorsese believes a little too much in his own greatness and apparently there are not people to tell him otherwise. The movie is bloated and frequently confusing, and at 3 1/2 hours, it just seems interminable. I was looking at my watch every 10 minutes - it felt like it would never end!!

Absolutely horrible. There is no “there” there. Has all the excitement of gazing into your navel for 2 1/2 hours, and even less depth. The Emperor truly has no clothes…