As most familiar with the pulp backstory of the historical Bonnie and Clyde can attest, it is a story that has captivated the minds of countless people. Their story has lent itself to the intense study of scholars and the eagle eye observations of students, who are still, to this day curious about the criminal duo.
Despite all of the accounts that have been written about
their criminal activity, there still remains a central fascination surrounding
their legacy. We all know what they did and can speculate about why they did
it, however it’s the question of what drew these two souls into a path of
darkness that remains the source of so much speculation. According to this
latest mini-series it’s a psychic vision by Clyde (Emile Hirsch). The first I’ve
heard of him being a soothsayer.
Bonnie and Clyde have been historically viewed as a Romeo and
Juliet-style love affair. A couple that met their grizzly end together, after
committing a crime spree that would forever emblaze them in infamy. “Bonnie and
Clyde” tries to deliver on the “love story” that drove the couple together. However,
there’s no real love.
Their version is that Bonnie (Holliday Grainger) is a beautiful young woman, zealous with a desire for fame and when fate puts Clyde in her sights, she foresees an opportunity to make her dreams come true. So basically Bonnie and Clyde are the genesis of reality TV stars.
Their version is that Bonnie (Holliday Grainger) is a beautiful young woman, zealous with a desire for fame and when fate puts Clyde in her sights, she foresees an opportunity to make her dreams come true. So basically Bonnie and Clyde are the genesis of reality TV stars.
What the first half, subtly implies, is that Bonnie wasn’t a
dirt poor woman waiting to be rescued from a hellish existence. She is actually
well-off with a nice house and fabulous fashions. Compared to the dismal
existence of Clyde, she comes off as a poor little rich girl who ensnares the
uneducated and naïve Clyde into a life of criminal notoriety because she is
bored with her own life.
Clyde is merely a poor lovesick guy who gets caught up with a sinful siren. The film seems to solidify their theory, presenting as their smoking gun, Bonnie’s name coming before Clyde's. Wow.
Clyde is merely a poor lovesick guy who gets caught up with a sinful siren. The film seems to solidify their theory, presenting as their smoking gun, Bonnie’s name coming before Clyde's. Wow.
The sexual relationship that is presented between the pair is
beyond credulity. As "steamy" as it is to imagine they were burning up the
sheets, it is historically known and acknowledged in the film, that Clyde was horrifically
abused in prison so him prancing into freedom to have a lust-fest with Bonnie
is hard to believe. It’s a disservice to what happened to him, to not recognize
the lasting psychological effects that had on his life.
The movie instead focuses on David Lynch style images that
wouldn’t have been as out of place, if Lynch were actually directing. Seeing a “historical”
account, waste time on Clyde having a vision of Bonnie performing, pointe technique
ballet is ridiculous.
Where films like “Public Enemies” and “Lawless” succeeded in grittily capturing the hard scrabble existence of the Great Depression and Prohibition-era Americans, “Bonnie and Clyde” fails to do so.
Where films like “Public Enemies” and “Lawless” succeeded in grittily capturing the hard scrabble existence of the Great Depression and Prohibition-era Americans, “Bonnie and Clyde” fails to do so.
Emile Hirsch, who has surprised in recent films, stumbles in
a role that he’s miscast in. Meanwhile, Holliday Grainger who stunned audiences
with her portrayal as the scheming Lucrezia on Showtime’s “The Borgias” is given
little to work with script-wise and having a better matched, screen partner
would have drastically improved matters. The two’s chemistry simply doesn’t
spark. Grainger does make a compelling Bonnie and proves herself as a versatile
actress, diving from one emotion to another with rapid navigation.
Tonight, the second half will air and hopefully it’ll offer
more for the cast and audience. Thus far, the ride has been disappointing, a
sadly missed opportunity for greater exploration of these historical enigmas. Rating: 6.5/10
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[Image by A&E/Lifetime]
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