Tuesday, June 10, 2008

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Author(s): Evan
Location: NY


"The Curious Incident Of the Dog In The Night-Time"

Distributor: Paramount Vantage
Directed By: Tim Burton
Written By: Anthony Manghella and Mark Haddon
Score: Danny Elfman

Main Cast

Christopher – Owen Kline
Father – Kevin Spacey
Mother – Helena Bonham Carter
Siobhan – Tilda Swinton
Mrs. Shears – Fiona Shaw

Tagline: "It’s easier to tell the emotions of a dog than a human. Dogs only have four emotions"

Synopsis: My name is Christopher John Francis Boone. I know all the countries in the world and their capital cities. I know every prime number up to 7,057, and I like the color red. But I hate the colors brown and yellow. Eight years ago, when I met Siobhan, my guidance counselor, she showed me a picture of a sad face. And I knew it obviously meant “sad” Which is what I felt when I found Wellington. Than she showed me a picture of a smiley face, and I knew that meant “happy,” like when I’m reading about the Apollo space missions. Than she drew some other pictures, but I was not able to say what these expressions were or meant. I got Siobhan to draw lots of these faces and than write next to them what they meant. I kept the piece of paper with me all the time, and used it when I did not understand what someone was saying. But it was very difficult to describe which of the pictures was most like the face someone were making because people’s faces change very fast. When I told Siobhan what I was doing, she said: “it probably makes people feel very uncomfortable” She laughed, so I tore the piece of paper up and threw it away, and Siobhan said she was sorry for laughing. Now if I don’t know what someone is saying, I ask him or her what he or she mean. Or I walk away. Whichever. I don’t like to talk to strangers. They are not familiar to me. My neighbors do drugs and play music really, really loud. They also always smell like poo. When I found the dog there was a fork sticking out of him, and the three holes were leaking blood. I pulled the fork out and lifted him into my arms and held him. His nose was still warm. He belonged to Mrs. Shears and his name was Wellington. After mother died she had helped Father and I to eat and clean the house. She was a good friend to us. I looked at the dog. It’s easy to tell a dogs emotions because they only have four, unlike humans. They are happy, sad, cross, and concentrating. Also, dogs are faithful and do not tell lies because they cannot talk. Siobhan told me I should write a book. This will not be a funny book because I cannot tell jokes because I do not understand them. I was looking for a clue as too who killed Wellington, when I found letters from my mother. I was told that she was dead so this made me angry. I asked father and he tried to tell me what happened but I could not understand him. I decided to go and find Mother. Maybe she could tell me what happened.

What the Press would say:

“Smart”
“Captivating”
“Observant”
“Inspiring”
“Suspenseful”
“Moving”

And “flawlessly imagined”, Director Tim Burton has done it again. Mr. Burton crafts this film into a pastel colored picture, more reminiscent of “Edward Scissorhands” than anything else. Adapting Mark Haddon’s 2003 book into one of the best films of the year, “The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time” tells the story of a 15-year-old autistic boy, who sets out to find his mother after figuring out his father had lied about her death. We find out that his mother had left because it was too hard for her, raising an autistic child. His father didn’t want to tell him that, so him, and everyone else, had lied to Chris. Owen Kline (The Squid and the Whale), who plays Chris, gives the best performance in this movie. The performance is heartbreaking, as the child deals with much more than he is capable of dealing with, and Mr. Kline captures his innocence and realization through the serious of events in this film.

Tilda Swinton is also perfectly cast as Christopher’s guidance counselor. In her brief scenes she gives a caring, motherly, yet assertive portrayal of the only trustworthy adult in Chris’ life. The main focus of the film is on Christopher’s Mother, and his journey to find her. Helena Bonham Carter gives the performance of her career, as a woman who not only doesn’t understand her son, but who also doesn’t love him, or at least, in the kind of way that Christopher, and most of us, know love. Kevin Spacey plays Christophers father, and his performance as the man who was forced to lie to his child is both subtle and heartbreaking.

This movie captures the real meaning of family, and family relations through the eyes of an autistic boy, who isn’t able to register what people are saying, thinking, or meaning. Because Chris is unable to read peoples emotions, he is unable to figure out how he is feeling beyond happy, sad, angry, and concentrated, the feelings he sees in Wellington. “The Curious Incident Of the Dog In The Night-Time” is a hugely imaginative movie, which not only captures the heart, but also strengthens the mind to people who are different.

FYC
Best Picture
Best Director – Tim Burton
Best Actor – Owen Kline
Best Supporting Actress – Tilda Swinton
Best Supporting Actress – Helena Bonham Carter
Best Supporting Actress – Fiona Shaw
Best Supporting Actor - Kevin Spacey
Best Cinematography
Best Score
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Online Awards Campaign
Best Tagline

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