蒙娜丽莎[Film Review] Mona Lisa (1986) 7.1/10分集剧情
FeaturingthelateBobHoskins’onlyOscar-nominatedperformance,NeilJordan’sthirdfeatureMONALISAisaheadydissertationoftheunrequitedlovecomplex.HoskinplaysGeorge,aforty-odd,uncouthsmall-timegangsterfreshlyoutofthejointafteraseven-yearstint,assignedbyhisoldbossDennyMortwell(Caine)tochauffeuraWestEnddark-skinnedcallgirlSimone(Tyson),withtheirinitialmutualaversionpeteringoutintheprogressoftimewhentheyrealizebothareindeedgoodpeople,quitenaturally,GeorgefallsinlovewithSimone,ahard-hitting,drop-deadgorgeousprincessmiredinaseedybusiness,butisherfeelingreciprocal?BeforesoonGeorgewillpullhisbackintolookingforanunderageprostituteCathy(Hardie),Simone’sfriendwhenshewasastreetwalkersolicitingnearthedankandmurkyvicinityofKing’sCross,whichdirectlypitshimagainstbothDennyandCathy’sruthlesspimpAnderson(Peters),afterherescuesCathyfromanodioussenilepunter,thethreeofthemescapestoBrighton,butbloodmustbedrawntosettlethescoreonceforallinthepurlieuofBrightonWestPier.BurrowingintoLondon’stenderloinofkinkysexserviceandunderageprostitutionring,whichwouldnotbescandaloustotoday’saudience,MONALISA’smostvaluableassetliesinHoskins’lived-inperformance,awalkingdynamospectacularlyrunningthegamutfromgarishswaggertoheartfeltcompassion.Hoskins’dumpyfigurecastsanalmostcomicalcontrastwiththesvelteTysonwhentheystandorwalkcheekbyjowl(aninvertedPRETTYWOMANscenariooccasionswhenSimonedragsGeorgeintoaposhstoretobuyhimsomedecentclothes,tohisbewildermentthencontentment),Georgeprofesses“I’mcheapandGodmademethisway”,buthisslowbutthoroughtransformationmakesapersuasivecasewhichisuniversallyvicarious,thesalientmessageisthatlovecanchangeapersontothebetter,regardlessofhis/herbackground,evenitisanunrequitedone(thesapphicattractiononlycircumspectlyalludedto),asGeorge’sawakeningmoralcompassproves,healsohasateenagedaughterJeanne(Nathenson),withwhomhehasmanymissingfather-daughtertimetocatchup,soweknowfairlywellwhatmakeshimtick.NewcomerCathyTysonisalsoarevelation,herSimoneisaspitfirecase-hardenedbyacynicalandcallousworld,onlyrecapitulatestothelastpurityresidinginher,sheisn’tadamsel-in-distress,butsomeonewhothrivesonasharpsenseofself-preservation,evenmanipulation,what’smoreadmirablyrefreshing,shedoesn’tputouttoshowhergratitude,althoughaudiencemighthavevariousreasonstoexpecthertodoso.AspiffyMichaelCainetakesthevillain’splacewithhisusualcoolness,confidenceandadetestablesoupçonofvulgarity.Asinhischefd’oeuvreTHECRYINGGAME(1992),Jordan’shumanisticpropensityconstructsavigorousbackboneinadarktale,introducingusanunlikelyhero,drivinginhisspick-and-spanJaguarwithNatKingCole’stitularoldiepipingup,MONALISAonlycanbeadmiredandworshippedfromitspedestal,sojustletthatmythplume.referentialentries:Jordan’sTHECRYINGGAME(1992,8.6/10);JohnMackenzie’sTHELONGGOODFRIDAY(1980,7.6/10).
