OF MICE AND MEN (1992) *** This is an excellent example of why you can't make a film of great literature, but it's well worth making a film about it. Steinbeck's tale of the frustration of the elusive nature of the dreams of the common people, always within reach but just out of it and falling beneath our transgressions, translates nicely as a great depression period piece about a weird farm. John Malkovich and Gary Sinise actually bring a theater production to the screen which complicates matters somewhat and could possibly be seen as the fountainhead of excessive facial communications. Unclear, whether the origin or even if excessive. I'm open to arguments that Malkovich is both perfect as Lennie the intellectually challenged mouse lover, and over the top. Certainly he plays it towards the edge and appears to wander if not occasionally fall over, but there's a sense of non-reality about many individual presences that exist this side of the screen as well and Malkovich has a knack for such personages. It's difficult to think of any contemporary who could have done a better job with the role. Sinise keeps in the game with him, and evokes a feel for the time and place and social dynamic in his director cap. Leaves you with the unexpected sense of borderline joyful pathos that is somehow extracted from well done tragedy.
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