Reading today’s Charlotte Observer, I was reminded of a simple truth of film criticism: The quickest way for a director to get a truly nasty writeup for his or her latest effort is not to be utterly devoid of ability but rather to be someone that was once recognized as an up-and-coming (indie) talent that has turned mainstream and disappointed.
In this case I am referring to David Gordon Green, and his latest effort, The Sitter. McClatchy’s Rene Rodriguez gives it a one-star review, writing that:
This odious, hypocritical movie marks director and UNC School of the Arts grad David Gordon Green’s transformation into full-on hack. How did the guy who once made such artful movies as “George Washington,“ “All the Real Girls” and “Undertow” arrive here? Does money corrupt that quickly? Did the success of “Pineapple Express” suddenly make Green forget everything that once interested him about film?
Wow.
Full disclosure: I haven’t seen the picture, so I can’t comment on whether the one-star grade is deserved. I’m also not sure if I’ve ever met Green, but he definitely falls into the friend-of-a-friend category for me.
