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Another 9½ Weeks (1997)
Rate:
3
Viewed:
10/07, 7/15
10/07:
Gosh, I'm disappointed.
At the beginning of Another 9½ Weeks, I was heavily intrigued. Halfway through, I got let down. After
the movie ended, I felt deceived. I don't know which is worse: the unmitigated disaster or Mickey Rourke's carved-up
face. Thinking of the latter, I suppose he only accepted the role to pay for the unnecessary plastic surgeries.
As for the film, things did start off well. As time went on, it seemed there would be a reunion of John and Elizabeth.
My breath was being taken away, and I was witnessing a potentially great film. The idea
of him meeting her and seeing what would happen, it was going to be awe-inspiring.
While everybody had been sitting on a gold mine, Mickey Rourke was about to reclaim his Method acting, as evident in early
80's films, that made him unique. Then, the F-bomb was laid. After the revelation of what happened to Elizabeth, the film
turned into a damn waste of time because basically there's nothing to go on afterwards. It's as if John only sought
Elizabeth for one last good fuck.
How Anne Goursand treated John is a humiliating display of shame. Why can't the movie be deep as he goes down the path of
desperation and desolation with regrets because he "let" her go? It'll be powerful this way. But nooooooooo...it's
been transformed into a pornographic picture that runs low on fumes, thanks to the stunning looker who can't act. It's simply
a re-creation of what transpired during the original but with zero feelings.
There's one scene that I'll remember forever about the sequel, and it's when John said to Lea, "You just
don't get it, do you?" It's exactly how I feel about everybody involved with this stupid film.
All in all, don't be surprised if you ask yourself: "Who the hell is that creepy Michael Myers look-alike pervert behind
Angie Everhart's shoulder in the poster for Another 9½ Weeks?"
7/15:
If 9½ Weeks is a masterpiece, then Another 9½ Weeks is a crapfest.
It would have been so much easier to reunite Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger to explore their relationship post-breakup and see
if they could salvage what they lost. Instead, it's about Angie Everhart's character prancing around as if she's the fuck of
the century, hence the perfect quote from John, "You just don't get it, do you?" In fact, that should've been the tagline of
the film because nobody understood what the original was all about. Instead, they recycle the famous scenes in order to
recapture the spirit, but there's been no feeling behind them.
I don't want to be harsh toward Mickey Rourke, but his face really has had it. It's been the most distracting part of
his on-screen appearance. Other than that, Mickey Rourke's performance is fine although he looks bored stiff, not feeling
mentally or emotionally challenged, hence the need for a paycheck.
All in all, if Kim Basinger wasn't going to come back, there's no point in making Another 9½ Weeks.