The Company You Keep

I AM CONVINCED THE CONSERVATIVE PRESS MISSED THE ENTIRE POINT OF THE MOVIE. While I'm totally conservative, the talking heads that trashed this film blew it completely. This film does not glorify terrorism. Quite the opposite. It shows how a person can cross the line from being an "activist" to being a felon/terrorist. It is sort of a retrospective of an activist's two lives - one he abandoned once he crossed the line, the other, the stolen life he built afterward. There is a price one pays to the public through the court system. There is also a private price, or a personal price one also pays. In both cases,the focus is more on the private price he foisted off on loved ones to avoid paying his public price for his acts. (The reader must understand that Sloan was guilty of some felony activities, but NOT the murder of the bank guard. His crimes, if caught, were worth some jail time, but not a life sentence for murder.) People should watch this just so they could consider the idea that actions they might start can easily spin out of control, leaving them with consequences they might be forced to live with for the rest of their life, and MORE IMPORTANTLY, exact an even worse price upon all their loved ones. This is a VERY tightly packed movie, hardly a word that isn't important to the development of the plot. Watch it closely. This movie does need a bit more tension and rage at one particular point, but that's about the biggest flaw I saw. Just so you know, Redford, 76, is playing the role of a late 60 year-old, and there are very important reasons why he has a young daughter. Now, it is up to you to see this film and figure out why. By the way, this movie has a lot of great talent in it, and they each do very well for themselves and the presentation of the movie's theme. There are 14 class act performers, plus one. This would be a hard cast to play against, but "plus one" did a super job in her first movie role.

1) excellent adaptation of the late Neil Gordon's novel 2) an incredible cast 3) robert Redford directs deftly 4) the pace is a bit slow. I dock it a point for that. 5) the issues raised by this film go to the core of the political divide in this country, namely the New Left/Old Left and the Radical Conservative reaction to all that the Left embodied. 6) the weather underground took their name from the Bob Dylan line, "you don't need a weather man to know which way the wind blows." A fascinating film.

The late 60's, a time when student / youth rebellion was at a peak throughout the western world. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, Medgar Evers, Kent State. The non-violent, peaceful Gandhi style of resistance was losing some of its gloss and appeal. Out of this frustration The Weather Underground, aka The Weathermen was born . They weren't so peaceful. Many were caught, some went on the run. As I said "great material" But don't expect gripping suspense or a meaningful examination of the era or its links to present day America and its place in the world. Not even close. It's weak sauce. Our investigative journalist is about as believable as Katie Couric and the freedom fighters...well.

Well, who doesn't want to see what Robert Redford is up to these days… but not chained to this unfortunate script, which makes the cast of oldies but goodies look rusty. A riveting true story spoiled by distracting actions, stilted conversations, false relationships and wooden acting. All of which got worse and worse. See the movie for unintended hilarious details. For example, why the hell would you spend five minutes tying your sneakers when the Feds are on your tail or take off your jacket as you're entering a dank, mildewed cabin? It would be fun to say the corny lines along with Robert Redford and Julie Christie. In contention for a cult movie.

A nostalgic reunion of Robert Redford and Susan Sarandon (with vivid vignettes from Julie Christie, Sam Elliott, Brendan Gleeson, Richard Jenkins and Nick Nolte) as responsible citizens haunted by their youthful radical indiscretions and it's continuing impact on their children. The same subject was movingly handled in 'Running on Empty', with the emphasis more on the children, here engagingly represented by Jackie Evancho as Redford's younger daughter.

Wonderful performances: Julie Christie, Redford, Sarandon, in particular. Really good, thought-provoking subject, about idealism, family responsibility, the losers of good investigative journalism, and politics. Though based on a novel, congrats to Redford for putting it all together. Deserved the Venice festival honors.

When a New York housewife, Sharon Solarz (Susan Sarandon), turns herself in to the FBI for a 30-year-old Michigan bank robbery that resulted in the death of a security guard, reporter Ben Shepard (Shia LaBeouf) begins investigating. He turns up Jim Grant (Redford), a lawyer, who goes on the run, linking up with his old underground as he tries to locate former love Mimi (Julie Christie) who might clear his name. In addition to those already named, the cast includes lots of favorites: Nick Nolte, Chris Cooper, Terrence Howard, Stanley Tucci, Richard Jenkins, Brendan Gleeson, Sam Elliott, and Jackie Evancho. I don't really like Shia LaBeouf, so that was a minus for me. The chance to see a lot of my favorites overcame the story which kinda dragged.

Most disappointing,given the stellar cast.as a thriller- there are no thrills; as a drama there is little tension.the main problem is simply that the stars are all way too old for their roles to give credibility to the plot......70+ year old Redford as a jogging Dad to an 11 year old?? I think not.! As Susan Sarandon explains " we were all just crazy young kids back then". Really?? Sad to see a once beautiful Julie Christie now so ' cosmetically enhanced' too in a largely flat performance. Overall it' s a poor movie- very badly cast/ lacking any real drama and a disappointing project by Redford ,who really ought to have given more attention to it than he has done.