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B. Monkey (1998) Plus avec IMDbPro »

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47 commentaires au total

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13 utilisateurs sur 16 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
All this useless beauty., 15 septembre 1999
Auteur : Delly (mortanse@yahoo.com) de Los Angeles

I love this movie like it's a woman. The reviewers have once again missed the ferry -- what we have here, folks, is an honest to God(ard) B-movie tone poem, an exercise in sensual, physical, SURFACE beauty that will send any self-respecting Keatsian aesthete straight to Hyperion ( the palace of visionaries, not the Miramax book division. ) Thanks to director Michael Radford -- who I wrongly assumed to be eighty or ninety years of age on the basis of his last movie, Il Postino -- B. Monkey is as seductive as the single bar of red neon that illuminates the opening shot. The movie will surely gain minor but devoted cult status in the years to come, while its lead actress, Asia Argento, will probably have to buy a house with very tall gates. ( Because I'm quite tall myself, and a good climber. )

How to describe B. Monkey without resorting to banal adjectives like you'd find on cartons of Haagen-Daz, "luscious" and "velvety"? Well, I see it as sort of a disreputable cousin to Bertolucci's ravishing Besieged; other people, no doubt less pretentious, will compare it to the kind of movie Steven Soderbergh has been making lately -- a cool, jazz-inflected, proudly inconsequential genre flick. But Radford has his own style -- impossibly trendy -- and he's a genius at evoking the loneliness and beauty of big cities everywhere.

This is a director's movie, to be sure, but make no mistake: Asia Argento is no slouch when it comes to decorating the frame. She's compact, tough, and fierce-eyed, her unconventional beauty only enhanced by a strong nose that would look terrific underneath a centurion's helmet. Like Louise Brooks or Anna Karina, she's a vamp for the ages, mesmerizing for no good reason ( much like the movie itself. ) It doesn't hurt that she's matched with the brilliant Jared Harris, whose interior performance perfectly complements her exterior one, or that the atavistically lordly Rupert Everett is on hand to do his Wilde thing. Even pretty boy Jonathan Rhys-Meyers is a bit more animated than usual; he throws open car doors briskly and with conviction.

Yes, the plot is inane. No, it doesn't really matter. B. Monkey, in the end, amounts to no more nor less than the sum of its impressionistic moments. The world is a glittering tomb where we all languish in oh-so-gorgeous isolation, or something. As Jared Harris says early in the movie, deejaying at a local hospital: "This next one is for all you romantics out there. Get well soon."

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10 utilisateurs sur 12 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
Not bad!, 11 septembre 2002

Auteur : HumanoidOfFlesh de Chyby, Pologne

"B.Monkey" is the perfect example of a romantic thriller!Asia Argento plays Beatrice/B.Monkey-the thief who wants to quit with her profession.She loves Alan(Jared Harris),a teacher of small children.The film is really enjoyable and very well-acted-Asia Argento,a daughter of famous Italian horror maestro Dario Argento is really talented!She provides also some great nude scenes!The violence is kept to minimum,but there's a lot of cursing!8 out of 10-worth checking out,especially if you're a fan of Asia Argento!

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11 utilisateurs sur 14 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
Argento gives strong performance in so-so film, 23 septembre 2003

Auteur : rosscinema (rosscinema@cox.net) de Oceanside, Ca.

This was Michael Radford's first film since "Il Postino" and it's definitely a letdown because Radford is a terrific director. Story is about a woman named B. Monkey (Asia Argento) who moonlights as an armed robber and she works with a couple of drug addicts named Bruno (Jonathan Rhys-Myers) and their father figure Paul (Rupert Everett) and a local gangster named Frank (Tim Woodward) is the one who sets up the scores. One night Bea meets Alan (Jared Harris) who is a school teacher and he asks her out on a date. She accepts and soon she falls in love with him and wants to leave her sordid past behind. Alan gets another teaching job in the country and Bea goes with him and they start to live the quiet life but one day Bea calls Paul and he traces the call back and finds out where she lives. Paul is in serious trouble with Frank and they follow him to where Bea is. One of the main problems with the story is how much Alan puts up with to be with Bea. Her friends are criminals, she was responsible for him losing his job and she displays a pretty bad temper. Maybe it's time to move on, buddy! But the strong point for the film is Argento's performance. She's a very brave actress and it appears that she would do just about anything on camera. There are several scenes in this film that require total nudity and Argento seems very comfortable doing this. Argento is Italian and grew up in Europe and European actress's seem to have a different attitude towards nudity in films. I first noticed Radford's direction in the highly underrated "1984" and also "Dancing at the Blue Iguana". Both of these films along with "Il Postino" are superbly directed but his talent wasn't evident in this film. It's adequately made but besides Argento this was a pretty tepid viewing experience. I had heard rumors that it was heavily edited but I'm not sure thats the problem. The whole film feels flat and labored and really has nothing special to offer. Argento does make it watchable though.

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6 utilisateurs sur 7 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
Very good movie highlighted by the acting performances, 7 novembre 2001

Auteur : Robert Reynolds (minniemato@hotmail.com) de Tucson AZ

This movie is basically carried by the two leads (particularly Asia Argent, daughter of Dario Argento) and by Rupert Everett in a supporting role. The script is average and the plot a tad too obvious at times, but Argento catches fire on camera and does a very good job. If you like action-thrillers, by all means watch thi one. Recommended.

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3 utilisateurs sur 3 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
Top of the second tier Europic worth the time., 21 janvier 2002

Auteur : George Parker de Orange County, CA USA

"B. Monkey", with Italian diva Argento in the title role, tells of a young female thief who tries to go straight but is haunted by her past from both inside and out. What could have been a better romantic psychodrama stills plays out well as B-flick with good pitted against evil in the usual ways though it stumbles a bit in the end. The film has visceral verve, solid performances, and develops and builds until the climax in the last minutes. Good stuff for mature audiences into Europics with plenty Argento skin.

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4 utilisateurs sur 5 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
Django Reinhardt music playing late at night, 10 juin 2005

Auteur : jotix100 de New York

Saw this film the other night on cable. Michael Radford's "Il Postino" had played the night before, and never are there two more different films than "B Monkey" and the other one! The novel by Andrew Davies was a joy and it's translation to the screen suffers because of the adaptation we see in front of our eyes. It appears this movie has been badly chopped up as indicated by comments by Mr. Radford.

This is a film about opposite characters that attract one another in ways that in other circumstances, they wouldn't have met. We meet the nerdish Alan Furnace, a teacher who also volunteers at a hospital where he loves to play jazz at night. He is fond of the great Django Reinhardt, a legend guitarist, whose records one hears on the background.

Beatrice is a young woman with a past. She is trying to get out of that life and the unsavory characters around her. When she meets Alan, she has no clue of what is going to happen to her, but she falls for him. Alan wants to get out of London to a quieter and more subdued atmosphere in which he feels Beatrice will feel happy too.

Beatrice's past gets in the way as Paul and Bruno come to interrupt the idyllic home life Alan and Beatrice have made for themselves, but in spite of the dangers, in an ironic twist, the couple finally manage to find peace in their newly found paradise.

Jared Harris is perfect as Alana. Asia Argento gives a complex reading on Beatrice a role that offers her a lot of opportunities. Rupert Everett and Jonathan Rhys Meyers make good contributions to the film.

The original film score by Luis Bacalov, a contributor to Mr. Radford in "Il Postino", is easy on the ears. The other non original songs are well selected and give the film another texture.

Although Mr. Radford did his best with the film, one can only recommend the viewer to check out Andrew Davies novel that is the basis of the movie.

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4 utilisateurs sur 6 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
Watch it for Argento and some good touches but this is mainly bland and uninteresting, 31 janvier 2005
Auteur : bob the moo de Birmingham, UK

Alan Furnace is a school teacher who's only joy in life is his late-night slot on hospital radio where he can play the light jazz he loves so much. Seeking more excitement in his life, he takes an interest in a collection of people in a local pub who the barman describes as "criminals". Despite this Alan approaches the woman of the group – the sexy and charming Beatrice, but is surprised when she responds to his advances. As he gets to know her, he uncovers a damaged soul with a murky past and dark present that perhaps he would be keep out of; however, as much as he is put off he is drawn in and soon finds himself involved deeper than he had ever planned.

I'll be honest and say that I was only drawn to this film by the strange title; other than that I had no idea what it was about but decided to give it a stab anyway. However the film seems to be aiming for a mood rather than a narrative and, as a result, this film is more about the tone and feel and thus it fails to really engage because the story isn't there. Well, there is a story but it comes second to the mood and it isn't well developed, is full of illogical holes that just don't convince and feels like a mishmash of other films' ideas. It is interesting at points but ultimately it doesn't work. The film tries to be seedy and introspective, using smoky rooms, jazz and crime as motivators and the "normal guy" as our way in, but even this doesn't totally work and elements of it failing make it feel like it has all been forced from the start – certainly the choice of the jazz music is way off.

However, as the title suggests, the film is more about Beatrice than the other characters and, as such, it is interesting enough even if she isn't as well developed a character as a "character driven film" would usually require. The performance from Argento is good and she has a real sexy presence that is more than just her taking her clothes off for the cameras – it is an aspect of her character that the film uses well. Harris is every bit as bland as the music he plays and he is the reason why I never bought the main relationship once – OK, she's after a "nice guy" but would she go for someone so very bland? The rest of the cast are colourful enough and do OK work with very basic material; Rhys-Meyers is good, Everett does his usual lazy, bi-sexual performance, Hart has a small role and the rest are just basic "East End thug" sorts.

Overall this is a film to watch for the sexy, dark presence of Argento and that alone. Outside of her, the narrative is pretty weak and never really convinced me or involved me; the dramatic fireworks come and go without really doing much and by the end I was pretty bored by the whole affair. Argento and some of the support cast make it worth a go but, like Harris and his type of jazz music, this film is consistently bland and uninteresting.

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4 utilisateurs sur 6 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
A somewhat derivative romantic thriller that's boosted byfantastic performances., 17 octobre 2000

Auteur : Profondo-Rosso

B. Monkey has some elements that are similar to La Femme Nikita. But is also manages to implement just enough fresh twists to keep the film from getting too derivative.

The film's biggest asset is the fantastic performances from everyone in the cast. It's pretty evident that this film was designed as a vehicle for the Italian goddess Asia Argento, and she definitely does not disappoint as far as her looks or her acting abilities are concerned. Everyone else does an equally great job and add some great nuances to what could have been generic characters.

The film is quite violent at times and also features strong doses of sex and nudity (mostly of Ms. Argento) but it's all done in a tasteful and artistic manner that keep the film from veering into exploitation territory.

Overall, a solid little romantic thriller and a stunning showcase for Asia Argento.

rating:8

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1 utilisateurs sur 1 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
A vision of escapism, 29 mai 2003

Auteur : KuRt-33 (kurtaerden@yahoo.com) de Antwerp, Belgique

The first time I saw "B. Monkey" (at the Ghent Film Festival in 1998), I was amazed at how many people had come to see this action movie starring Asia Argento. Of course it wasn't because of Asia's charismatic performances this movie was so popular, but because it was the latest film by Michael Radford, director of "Il Postino" (together with "Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulin" the longest running movie in the last ten years - well, in Antwerp anyway). From "Il Postino" to "B. Monkey" was a weird step and perhaps one of the reasons why "B. Monkey" gets so many negative reviews.

I'm well aware that this movie is a male-oriented vision of escapism, but when the result is a movie like this, one wants to take a lot for granted.

"B. Monkey" was based on a novel by Andrew Davies who has been writing since the late 60s and has penned many scripts for well-known productions such as the script for the "Bridget Jones Diary" and the lesbian BBC drama "Tipping The Velvet". He knows how to tell a story and perhaps this is why, in my opinion, "B. Monkey" is so much better than the usual drama where a delinquent girl meets an honest man and decides to better her life (genders may be changed here). Even though you can predict the big lines of the story, you're still surprised at certain plot changes.

Alan (Wayne Wang favourite Jarid Harris) and Beatrice (Asia 'daughter of Argento) couldn't be further apart: she's a bank-robbing criminal, he teaches poor kids and has a jazz show on hospital radio. Once again something that makes you realize that this movie walks a thin line between good cinema and a third-rate tv's movie of the week. Believable acting by Harris, Argento and, not to forget, Rupert Everett helps the movie to stay on the right part of that thin line.

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1 utilisateurs sur 1 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
Superb, 11 janvier 1999

Auteur : david-47 de Los Angeles

Stylish, gorgeous, fresh, unusual, unconventional . . . you get the idea. Asia Argento, the Italian Angelina Jolie, turns in an astonishingly assured take-no-prisoners, English-language performance that makes most American actresses seem like teenagers in the high school play. A witty script and sure-handed direction combine with visually sumptuous cinematography to create a wonderfully entertaining film. Which, of course, means that it will have hell finding an audience in America, but for the hip, urban art houses it should do fine, as well as in Europe.

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