Rent Motherless Brooklyn (2019)

Atmospheric film diminished by dull plot - Motherless Brooklyn review by Alphaville

After a mysterious and exciting beginning, this develops into a protracted and less-than-engrossing political drama about a housing scam with racial undertones in 1950s New York. It’s something of a noir vanity project for writer/director/star Edward Norton, but he makes a good job of all three roles. As actor he plays a gumshoe with a Tourette’s problem and as director he contributes some winning moments. There’s an atmospheric scene in a jazz joint, for instance, where co-star Gugu Mbatha-Raw dances with him to calm down his tics. It’s just a shame it’s such a convoluted, overlong and not very interesting plot.

Ponderous Noir Crime Drama - Motherless Brooklyn review by GI

This is a rather heavy going and at times laborious private eye noir set in New York in the 1950s. Clearly a passion piece for director and star Edward Norton who also adapted the novel on which it's based. Indeed Norton has moved the story from the 90s to the 50s precisely in order to make it a noir type film in the vein of The Big Sleep (1946) and The Maltese Falcon (1941). It has a colour palette that is all the greys and browns to recreate the time and setting and the plot is a mystery all very similar to the 'gumshoe' narratives of yesteryear although it's littered with genre clichés. Norton plays Lionel who works for a private detective agency run by Frank (Bruce Willis). Lionel has a photographic memory and is very good at his job but he has an affliction that can best be described as Tourettes although it's never identified in the film. When Frank is killed Lionel is determined to find out who is behind it which leads him into a conspiracy of corruption of city officials that involved a young black woman (Gugu Mbatha-Raw). Norton is very good here especially in portraying his affliction which adds some humour to the film. But the plot becomes quite turgid after awhile and makes the film seem overly long and the final unravelling all seemed a bit of an anti climax. In here is a good film in many ways but it could have been so much better.

Orphaned - Motherless Brooklyn review by cr

Most of the reviews have said the same thing. At 144 minutes you would hope this film would be engaging and interesting but its so dull, the plot is difficult to follow and you soon stop caring around halfway through. No wonder it was a box office Turkey.

Housing Scandal. - Motherless Brooklyn review by NO

Quite Good but I thought the start confusing.If I had not had the subtitles on,I would not have followed the plot which made sense later on.I liked the Jazz scenes made a welcome change fro m the usual rock row.Ending a bit of an anti climax.

Overlong, Convoluted, Bloated Boxticker Movie which could have been so much better - Motherless Brooklyn review by PV

This is directed by Edward Norton who stars - never a good sign. Based on a novel. Maybe that is why it is rather meandering and convoluted.

As most modern movies seem to do, it lingers on racial injustice - the problem with that is these films tend to show a rather romantic portrayal of all black people, making tjem rather two-dimensional, and which could be called as racist as demonising such people.

Anyway, this movie is way too long - I was clock-watching throughout.

It reminds me a bit of TV series MONK about a detective with OCD from years ago. The private eye suffering from never-named Tourette's syndrome reminded me of several other neuro-diverse main characters - this seems very on-trend now together with transgender leads. i supppose they must have run out of races to celebrate...

Worth watching for the late great Michael K Williams, in one of his last roles, playing a louche troubled jazz musician - anything with him in is worth a watch.

Was going to be 3 stars but the preachy woke lectures esp in the second half, and rather clunky points made that 'racism is bad' (no, really?) and cartoon character racists portrayed tested my patience.

I liked the music and the early 1950s decor etc. And the memories of the 1920s and WWI again, a bit like the recent Amsterdam, which shares many of the same flaws.