Zodiac - David Fincher
David Fincher’s “Zodiac”, is sprawling, lavish and hugely enjoyable.
“Zodiac” is incredibly well constructed, well-acted and impeccably cast character study of three men who relentlessly and obsessively pursue the Zodiac killer of the late ’60s and early ’70s.
The most obsessed of the trio is the unlikeliest: Paul Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal), an idealistic newspaper cartoonist, who later writes two books on the case (the basis for this movie).
Graysmith’s investigation attracts the attention of Paul Avery (Robert Downey Jr.), a cynical, heavy-drinking self-destructive crime reporter. Downey Jr. has long been my favorite actor and he does not disappoint here.
The cop in the triangle is Dave Toschi (Mark Ruffalo), a Columbo-esque inspector whose flamboyant exploits apparently inspired Steve McQueen’s character in “Bullitt” and would serve as the model for Clint Eastwood’s Dirty Harry.
Fincher manages these characters and the complicated narrative with a simplicity, confidence and style akin to that of Martin Scorsese.
The film is over two and half hours and spans almost four decades, it’s a sensory overload of information that manages to maintain a tight and steady pace.
It doesn’t have the neatly resolved ending, that seems to be required of most Hollywood movies, but I love that. As in real life, the case remains unsolved and you’ll leave the cinema still trying to figure it all out.
I think this is a very, very good film.
Go see…
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