I spent most of the movie trying to decipher Blake Lively’s pronunciation of a lead character’s name: was it Sean, or John? And I grew annoyed with director Oliver Stone who was clearly too enamoured with Lively to give her any direction. No, Blake, not every line of the narration should be delivered with life-or-death huskiness. Too much, Blake. Still, in the end, I must admit that the Sean-John conundrum’s fault does not lay with Lively but with either the script writer or the casting director. The character’s name is actually Chon, but he’s played by the very white and very ordinary Taylor Kitsch. Does that make sense to me? It does not. But this movie’s about to get way, way more problematic.
Chon (Kitsch) and Ben (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) are two halves of a very successful weed business in Laguna, California. Ben is sweet and idealistic and travels the world to impoverished communities where he can spend his profits on the people who need it. Chon is the messed up vet returned from his tours of duty to provide the business with backbone and an intimidation factor. O (Blake Lively) fucks them both – though it’s more of a love circle than a love triangle, if you know what I mean.
Their business grows just large enough to pique the interest of a real cartel, run by Elena (Salma Hayek). She makes them a business proposition which they are stupid enough to believe they can turn down, and when they do, Benicio Del Toro shows up to kidnap the one thing they both love (well, after weed). Technically I should say Benicio’s character shows up, and yet I think we’ve all seen him play the creepy, threatening bad guy so many times that I’m starting to wonder if perhaps Del Toro really is running a drug empire and acting is just a clever way to launder money and divert suspicion.
Anyway, then it’s a mess of torture porn and “interesting directing choices” to prove that Stone is still the master of mindless violence. Which is a nice way of saying the first half is sloppy as hell and the second half has no heft. The movie believes itself to be slick and subversive and goes to great lengths to convince you of it too, but stops just short of actually being good. Overwritten and under-acted, this is indeed a return to Oliver Stone’s past, but probably not in the way he intended. Savages came out in 2012 mind you, and the only other film Stone’s done in the ensuing years is Snowden so I think it’s more fair to say he’s “done” than “back”.
ASSHOLES WATCHING MOVIES 
“The movie believes itself to be slick and subversive and goes to great lengths to convince you of it too, but stops just short of actually being good.” An excellent and succinct description that encapsulates the conundrum of Savages.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Haha definitely think you are right about mr Stone.
LikeLike
I didn’t even know who any of these actors were…had to look them up on IMDB. I think I may have just crossed the age line. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good thing I have you guys to keep me current! What would I do without you…
LikeLike
Well I think you can safely forget about Taylor Kitsch.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Who? (joke)
LikeLike
Hadn’t heard of this, now I have and will avoid it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great review. I remembered almost nothing of this film and after reading this, I see why that is.
LikeLike
Yes, forgetting is bliss. I think it would be hard to remember because the narrative doesn’t make a lot of sense, and that would not store very well in the memory.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great review!! Good one about the ”love circle” hahah.. Maybe they were trying to widenth the circle of their friends… (!) … I didn,t know that Oliver Stone made that movie..I too think it starts well but doesn,t deliver the good because if a film is 1/4 dramatic, 1/4 action, 1/4 funny and 1/4 thriller than it has to be really good because in the end it wil just amount to nothing. Which is sadly what happened.. Shame, it had everything going for it but sometimes the chemistry just doesn’t happen….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aaaaand now I remember why I never got around to watching this movie!
LikeLiked by 3 people
I saw it and I was like…. “eh…” as I think Oliver Stone should just retire and fuck off. He doesn’t have it anymore and he’s never going to get it back.
LikeLiked by 2 people
“I’m starting to wonder if perhaps Del Toro really is running a drug empire and acting is just a clever way to launder money and divert suspicion.”<–LOL
Where is Laguna, California? I know where Laguna Beach is… (That's where I would have lost it with this movie, I think. If you're going to do a fictional town, don't use half a real town's name.)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Possibly it’s just their cute nickname for it.
LikeLike
I had great hopes for this movie but…well, you said exactly how I feel too. Great review.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I love your snark! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
My snark probably needs to be muzzled, but there she is.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not for a second! 😀
LikeLike
I like Blake Lively but I must admit I spend an inordinate amount of time during her movies thinking about how great her hair is and how long it must take someone to style it always so perfectly tousled 🙂 Enjoyed the review!
LikeLiked by 2 people
That fake out they did at the end of this movie was so cheap that I actually laughed. I remember reading an article once that Lindsay Lohan really wanted Lively’s role and was pissed that Stone didn’t give it to her.
At least Aaron Taylor-Johnson is fairly hot.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Jay,
I like Husky-voiced women kidnapped by the real-life kingpin/money laundering actors on-the-side. Another Oscar for Oliver!
RR
LikeLiked by 3 people
This is a fantastic review. You nail everything with eloquence and economy. This movie had me going “wut” after that ridiculous ending. Kitsch takes a lot of heat, but I think he is a good actor. Stone is at his best with his conspiracy theory stuff. He should get back to that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Savages is not a great film in my humble opinion but I’m not sure if Stone really indulges in mindless violence although this film doesn’t really have a lot going on that it’s a fair cop for this film.
LikeLike
Great review 🙂 I enjoyed the movie itself but have a deep dislike for Lively’s acting style. Everything she acts in has duck face pout lips and it seems she has trouble breathing. Most likely meant to be sexy, but down right annoying to me.
LikeLike