Impolite (film)
Impolite is a Canadian mystery film, directed by David Hauka and released in 1992.[1] The film stars Robert Wisden as Jack Yeats, a burned-out journalist who is investigating the death of wealthy businessman Naples O'Rorke (Christopher Plummer).[2]
Impolite | |
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Directed by | David Hauka |
Written by | Michael McKinley |
Produced by | Raymond Massey |
Starring |
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Cinematography | Robert McLachlan |
Edited by | Lara Mazur |
Music by | Braun Farnon Robert Smart |
Production company | Well Mannered Films Inc. |
Distributed by | Vanguard Cinema |
Release date |
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Running time | 98 minutes |
Country | Canada |
Language | English |
The cast also includes Suzy Joachim, Kevin McNulty, Stuart Margolin, Jill Teed, Susan Hogan, Timothy Webber and Katherine Banwell.
The film premiered at the 1992 Toronto International Film Festival.[3]
Reception
The film received mixed reviews from critics. Rick Groen of The Globe and Mail called it more a work in progress than an accomplished film, writing that "At best, the references form an organic part of the plot, and give the deathly puzzle an epistemological kick ("Truth is a matter of opinion," someone mutters). At worst, they're a bit show-offy and sophomoric, like listening to a bunch of sherry-sippers in an undergraduate common room. The same highs and lows can be seen in McKinley's working out of the mystery itself - the resolution is opaque, with a lot of loose ends, some of which seem deliberate and provocatively murky, others of which seem accidental and confusingly shoddy."[4] Katherine Monk of the Vancouver Sun wrote that "At times Impolite is so well-read, it can lose you in its quickness - like a Stoppard play that thrives on inside intelligentsia jokes. (Here, at least all the inside jokes are Canadian.) At other times, it can have you scratching your head in search of a linear through-line the way Lynch is apt to do, and other times, heck, it feels as down home as an episode of the Beachcombers."[2]
Plummer received a Genie Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the 14th Genie Awards in 1993.[5]
References
- Gerald Pratley, A Century of Canadian Cinema. Lynx Images, 2003. ISBN 1-894073-21-5. p. 105.
- Katherine Monk, "Ambitious feature offers one wild ride". Vancouver Sun, June 18, 1993.
- "Canadian Shows Off". The Globe and Mail, September 4, 1992.
- Rick Groen, "Film Review: Impolite". The Globe and Mail, August 13, 1993.
- "The Lotus Eaters strong contender at Genies". The Globe and Mail, December 11, 1993.