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Incognito

Incognito

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Great movie for movie lovers
Review: A superb film about art and deception. The movie went almost unnoticed at the Box-Office maybe because of the leading actor J. Patric who failed to give an appealing character, however the movie is balanced by I. Jacob and R. Steiger. The main strenght of the movie is the story about Art/life deception and the way the story is being told. The director J. Badham managed to produce a great value film.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: An Obvious Forgery of Quality
Review: Firstly, the title is misleading as there is no aspect of "incognito" to the film, except perhaps that of great English actor Iam Holm who apparently requested his name struck from the credits as it does not appear, despite his recurrent role.
Jason Patric is unlikeable and has none of the lovable rogue characteristics needed to carry this role leading off. He's boorish, etc. which makes the romance between him and Irène Jacob, as a much too young "art expert" seem hardly credible. She plays a Dutch woman with a startling French accent. The plot is gaping with holes that only a viewer who totally suspends his or her disbelief (much as one must with say The Grinch Who Stole Christmas) can appreciate. Most of the European characters are cardboard stereotypes, shuffled around by screenwriter and director John Badham as if they're parchesi or monopoly pieces. The thrust of the film, the "genius forgery" of a Rembrandt, is superficial and while it may interest those of the 14 - 18 year old viewer, in the real world a detailed analysis of the painting would have immediately discovered the fakeries. As they say in the movie game, thumbs down.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Literate, little seen thriller
Review: Here's one of those movies I love to find for people. Who decides which movies get major releases and which ones are dispatched to a celluloid land fill? I've known some studio executives in my time. Typically, they'd shrug their shoulders and say, "Go Figure!".

"Incognito" was released in theaters in the UK and in Finland in late 1997. In April 1998, it got a limited two week run here. True, it will never make AFI's Top 100, but as decent escapist entertainment, it is a lot better than many of those turkeys that get millions of dollars in publicity. Some of these I refuse to write about because it's impolite to review something you can't finish watching.

This clever little thriller is director John Badham's best work in a while. Badham was a really hot talent in the 1970's. There are a few holes in the plot, but he makes up for this in its entertainment factor.

The subject matter is interesting. Most people don't think about art forgery often. As a profession and a business, it's been around for just a few decades. I think it began around the time artists actually got paid for their efforts. I assure you that selling art through galleries is a 20th Century invention.

Here, Patric not only acts, he holds his own playing against the powerful and beautiful French actress, Irene Jacobs. Typically, American actors seem awkward and uncomfortable playing against French actresses. This cannot be said of Mr. Patric. His love scenes with Jacobs may cause your TV screen to fog up from the steam.

Several things intrigued me about "Incognito". The character delineation is keener than usual for a thriller. Patric's art forger is not proud of what he does. This is a passionate, intelligent man, who is the first to admit that this is all about money. He knows that the huge sums he's earns does not alter the fact that, anyone who can successfully fake almost any painter's style, is so gifted that they should be doing original works of their own.

When contacted by a couple of delightfully devious and evil art gallery owners, he at first not so politely refuses to do a virtually impossible forgery. He's dislike these men, but an offer of $500,000 finally changes his mind.

The writing and the acting in "Incognito" is atypical of a thriller, because that aspect becomes subordinate to other events, such as Patric's complex love affair with Jacobs, who plays a noted French art professor.

The work of art he must imitate is one by Rembrandt that lost at sea centuries ago. All that survives is the ship's manifest, which lists it only as the portrait of a man. Patric's character is a perfectionist. What man? What face? Then he remember his father [Rod Stieger], a failed artist, and begins by using his father's eyes. As the cameras twist and rotate madly around the artist, the portrait magically begins to take form. This whole section of the movie is much more intense than I can make it sound.

When the painting is finished, Patric's real problems begin. He really should have turned those nasty art dealers down. Here begins the treachery and deceit any thriller must have.

"Incognito" was filmed with great attention to detail in and around London, Paris and Amsterdam.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Enthralling movie
Review: I caught this movie after it had started and could not stop watching. The detail to color and artistic technique is incredible, along with the question of 'what makes a masterpiece.' Anyone who loves art will love this movie.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Intrigue, action, lust, European backdrops, ... awesome!
Review: I have seen this movie twice, and bought it on DVD. This movie has it all-- intrigue, murder, action, romance, hot sex, adventures through Europe (Spain, Paris, Amsterdam, Italy), courtroom drama, the world of art, and more. I liked the plot, and the characters. And if you are into art, you will enjoy this movie all the more, as the lead character forges a Rembrandt by mixing paints from raw pigments, grinding them, baking the painting in an oven to age it. The local video store's wife recommended this movie to me, and said everybody she has told about it loved it. I concur.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: EXCELLENT ACTING AND DIRECTING
Review: I TRULY BELIEVED JASON PATRIC COULD REPRODUCE A MASTERPIECE. I THOUGHLY ENJOYED THE PLOT, THE ACTION AND THE SUSPENSFUL COURT ROOM SCENE.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Fine characters
Review: I wouldn't agree with some of the reviews blaming the main character for the lack of exposure the movie got. I would say there's a certain intensity in the main character, one that comes out as the movie unfold. This was probably one of the highlights.

For a movie to be a hit these days, you need to add a couple tones of explosives and cheesy hollywood sauce. If you look at the movies that fit this description, you'll notice all their reviews are excellent. What does that tell you?

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: I've seen this movie many times & it is such an enjoyable ride that not once have I been tempted to over-analyze it, hunt for plot holes, flaws etc... & there are very few movies I can say that about. My list of all time favorites is a very short one - movies that somehow retain their magic and freshness through the years enough that I never tire of watching them & will always go out of my way (if necessary) to retain suspension of disbelief for & this is one of them.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: I've seen this movie many times & it is such an enjoyable ride that not once have I been tempted to over-analyze it, hunt for plot holes, flaws etc... & there are very few movies I can say that about. My list of all time favorites is a very short one - movies that somehow retain their magic and freshness through the years enough that I never tire of watching them & will always go out of my way (if necessary) to retain suspension of disbelief for & this is one of them.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: I've seen this movie many times & it is such an enjoyable ride that not once have I been tempted to over-analyze it, hunt for plot holes, flaws etc... & there are very few movies I can say that about. My list of all time favorites is a very short one - movies that somehow retain their magic and freshness through the years enough that I never tire of watching them & will always go out of my way (if necessary) to retain suspension of disbelief for & this is one of them.


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