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Silver City

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Silver City (2004)

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Reviews Counted:124

Fresh:59

Rotten:65

Average Rating:5.5/10

Consensus: Heavy-handed and often dull.

Runtime: 2 hrs 13 mins

Genre: Dramas

Synopsis: During a gubernatorial race in small-town Colorado, a mystery is uncovered involving a dead body found in a local lake. A private detective, Danny (Danny Huston), is hired by the governor-to-be's... During a gubernatorial race in small-town Colorado, a mystery is uncovered involving a dead body found in a local lake. A private detective, Danny (Danny Huston), is hired by the governor-to-be's campaign manager (Richard Dreyfuss), who is worried that the unexpected event may be used as a scandal-maker by the opposition. But when Danny begins to investigate, he learns that business mogul Wes Benteen (Kris Kristofferson), is using the candidate, Dickie Pilager (Chris Cooper), to promote his moneymaking agenda. Director-writer-editor John Sayles weaves together multiple storylines involving environmental issues, political and corporate corruption, activism, illegal aliens, labor laws, and also a sweet love affair, simplifying it all into a cohesive and deeply enjoyable drama. He gets powerful performances from each cast member, making the characters shine in all of their nuanced intricacies. This strong film reflects on the presidency of George W. Bush in that candidate Pilager is a good-hearted Republican who lacks communications skills and a backbone, allowing regulation to lapse, power to be abused, and a scourge of long-term problems to be ignored. Meanwhile, SILVER CITY is a gripping whodunit, set in the still-dusty New West where old silver mines become real estate developments, and corporate tycoons attempt to privatize protected land for their own bounty. The immediate, effective supporting cast includes Daryl Hannah, Thora Birch, Tim Roth, Maria Bello, Sal Lopez, Miguel Ferrer, and Billy Zane. [More]

Starring: Danny Huston, Maria Bello, Billy Zane, Chris Cooper

Starring: Danny Huston, Maria Bello, Billy Zane, Chris Cooper, Richard Dreyfuss, Michael Murphy, Daryl Hannah, Kris Kristofferson, Mary Kay Place, David Clennon, Miguel Ferrer, Ralph Waite, Sal Lopez, James Gammon, Tim Roth, Thora Birch, Alma Delfina

Director: John Sayles

Director: John Sayles
Screenwriter: John Sayles
Producer: Maggie Renzi
Composer: Mason Daring
Studio: Newmarket Films

[See More Credits]

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Reviews for Silver City

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1 - 20 (sorted by critic A-Z; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 >> >|
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Sayles wraps a gripping murder mystery around a rather unsubtle political satire.

Full Review Source: Shadows on the Wall | comment Comment
05/22/05
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall

Cooper does a terrific job, mimicking Bush’s speech and mannerisms as well as his tendency to ramble and go off script with hilarious consequences.

Full Review Source: ViewLondon | comment Comment
07/23/05
Matthew Turner
Matthew Turner
ViewLondon

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
07/22/05
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

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Full Review Source: Daily Mirror [UK] | comment Comment
07/22/05
David Edwards
David Edwards
Daily Mirror [UK]
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
07/19/05
BBC
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
07/21/05
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A heavy-handed approach mars this latest effort from the usually reliable John Sayles.

Full Review Source: Denton Record Chronicle (TX) | comment Comment
09/17/04
Boo Allen
Boo Allen
Denton Record Chronicle (TX)

Very much worth seeing for Cooper's rendition of a puppet caught in a sinister political system, as well as for its memorable shocker of an ending.

Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | comment Comment
09/17/04
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid

Sayles wants to win our minds, and maybe our hearts. but once again, he ignores the seduction process.

Full Review Source: Newsday | comment Comment
09/16/04
John Anderson
John Anderson
Newsday

If it fails in its whole, the movie certainly shines in its parts, with a string of dead-on character performances to enjoy, and several scenes that icily express Sayles' vision of a dumbed-up America drowning in a sea of ignorance, apathy and greed.

Full Review Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer | comment Comment
09/16/04
William Arnold
William Arnold
Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Sayles, it seems, doesn't think much of his audience, and the tone of his discourse is only nominally less pandering than a politician's.

Full Review Source: Village Voice | comment Comment
09/14/04
Michael Atkinson
Michael Atkinson
Village Voice

Sayles reigns in his large and talented cast and keeps the loose ends from strangling his narrative.

Full Review Source: Palo Alto Weekly | comment Comment
09/13/04
Jeanne Aufmuth
Jeanne Aufmuth
Palo Alto Weekly

A juicy political lampoon that may be too close to reality for certain people to find amusing.

Full Review Source: Sacramento Bee | comment Comment
09/17/04
Joe Baltake
Joe Baltake
Sacramento Bee

There's definitely ore to be mined in Silver City, but Sayles' pan comes up with only particles of dust.

Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle | comment Comment
09/19/04
Marjorie Baumgarten
Marjorie Baumgarten
Austin Chronicle

We've seen this all before. And it ain't interesting.

Full Review Source: Film Journal International | comment Comment
09/18/04
Lewis Beale
Lewis Beale
Film Journal International

Sayles should switch to television, because each new movie now resembles a pilot episode for an HBO series...

Full Review Source: Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) | comment Comment
10/01/04
John Beifuss
John Beifuss
Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)

It doesn't pretend that politics and business are decoupled, that the little guy can pull off the upset, or that the bottom line is anything other than money. It's refreshing, albeit grim, to see a movie that's not afraid of telling these truths.

Full Review Source: ReelViews | comment Comment
09/14/04
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
ReelViews

The most deadpan, dead-on, sharply focused political satire in recent memory.

Full Review Source: SPLICEDWire | comment Comment
09/17/04
Rob Blackwelder
Rob Blackwelder
SPLICEDWire

A terrible disappointment.

Full Review Source: Denver Post | comment Comment
09/17/04
Michael Booth
Michael Booth
Denver Post

Did no one advise Sayles that Huston, who played "hotel manager" in Hotel and "herdsman" in The Bacchae (don't ask me!) was entrusted with too much?

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
10/01/04
Jules Brenner
Jules Brenner
Filmcritic.com
 
 
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