Levity

An all-star cast play vivid characters in Levity, about an ex-con named Manual Jordan (Billy Bob Thornton) who finds the sister (Holly Hunter) of the young man he killed many years ago, seeking forgiveness. By accident, he gets involved with a preacher (Morgan Freeman) who has his own demons; Jordan ends up as the custodian of a soup kitchen with a parking lot that also serves patrons of a nearby club, so long as those patrons are willing to sit through 15 minutes of a sermon by the preacher. The narrative depends on a lot of coincidences and some implausible behavior--but the story is secondary. Levity focuses on the characters, which are brought to life by the excellent cast (including Kirsten Dunst as a self-destructive club-goer). The movie lays out its themes of redemption and atonement a bit heavily, but it creates some very human moments along the way. --Bret Fetzer Amazon.com

Good idea, badly executed

Didn't even bother finishing this. Acting is fine - lots of great actors, story just takes itself far too seriously and turns you off quickly. Morgan Freeman, as usual, is very annoying. If you're a fan of Morgan Freeman, it's unlikely you will dislike this movie. January 18, 2008

SMILES OF A WINTER NIGHT

LEVITY is the first movie written and directed by Ed Salomon. In spite of the presence of Billy Bob Thornton, Kirsten Dunst, Morgan Freeman and Holly Hunter, the film didn't do well when it was theatrically released so let's just hope that the DVD market will give it a second chance. Because LEVITY simply deserves a second chance.

LEVITY is a fable with these characters who seem to be all protected by a visible or, for some of them, an invisible presence. So, Billy Bob Thornton, with the help of Morgan Freeman, will be able to find peace in his mind and Kirsten Dunst, Holly Hunter and her son will be able to make peace with their past thanks to Thornton. The buckle is closed and, as in a fable, LEVITY delivers a strong moral message. It could have been a Disney movie but it's not because Ed Salomon's characters are multidimensional and the director scatters light symbolic notes throughout his movie, just think about how Billy Bob Thornton has to deal with his incapability to understand the numerous jokes people say to him or his inability to simply smile.

A DVD zone hidden treasures. March 29, 2007

Billy Bob just doesn't shine, he glows in this gem!

I will definitely echo the sentiments of others here, and what has been said. When I picked this up at a clearance sale at my local video shop, I had no clue what I was getting into, especially when at the time I was still skeptical of Billy Bob Thornton. I will admit that I did enjoy his work in "Monster's Ball", but I still needed more convincing. "Levity" confirmed that he is indeed a talented actor worthy of my respect. His work in this film was nothing less than outstanding, and this role seemed to be tailored just for him. Strong and moving performances by none other than Morgan Freeman, Holly Hunter and Kirsten Dunst. A must see!

February 5, 2007

Very well made anti heroe movie.

I was really surprised by this film. Its so good to see this kind of movies with such beautifull stories behind them. May 1, 2006

Find of the week

I had absolutely no idea what I was getting into when I pulled this movie from the $5.50 bin at Wal-Mart. All I knew is it had actors I respected, who gave good comedy and drama, and that was good enough for me. Had I known, I'd have gladly paid full price for this film when it was first released.

A pity the average movie goer has the depth of a damp tissue, this movie is worth seeing. A tale of unrequited redemption, well played, well written. Yes, the focus is Manual, as it ought to be. I loved Morgan Freeman, but I've adored him since I saw him on PBS in "Electric Company" some 25-30 years ago.

This movie should make you think. No happy ending, things don't tie up just because they ought to. It's dark, but what isn't these days?

See it. It's worth whatever you pay. March 5, 2006

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