In the Soup (1992) - Review and Analysis by Scott Wood for Critical-Film.com

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In the Soup (1992) A film review by Scott Wood For Critical-film.com   Not many people out there will recognize the name Alexandre Rockwell, and I suppose even fewer will recognize his film “In the Soup.” To fill those less fortunate to not have experienced Rockwell's solo efforts, he directed the second of the “Four Rooms,” the one where the bellhop gets trapped in the room where the man has his wife tied up, and is accusing him of sleeping with her. As I recall, I think I liked this room the best of the four, as it gave background to the character of Ted (Tim Roth), and also had a very acute sense of style and desperation.   “In the Soup” is far less polished than Rockwell's work on “Four Rooms,” but it is also much better. It won the Grand Jury prize at Sundance in 1992, about the same time “Reservoir Dogs” and “El Mariachi” debuted, and it was very well deserved. Few movies vibrate with the energy that “In the Soup” does, and fewer still manage to encompass the ideals of the absurd so unabashedly and consistently. Whereas a movie like “I Heart Huckabees,” is far too self-aware of its intent, “In the Soup” rides its existentialism as a valid form of film-enhancing technique. If it made traditional sense, Rockwell's picture would not be nearly as good as it turned out being. It is rare when a movie which intends to be as strange as this one does, that one feels as though everything is being done on purpose, and with intent.   I must believe that I have a personal connection to this picture which allows me to enjoy it more than your average person. I normally am not very find of the sort of pointless meandering cinema of someone, let's say, like John Cassavetes (although I have yet to see all of his work). I didn't like “Faces,” (also starring Seymour Cassel), and that is a very similar film. I feel with this picture a sort of sympathy with Buscemi's character. I too, want to be a filmmaker. I love the work of Andrei Tarkovsky. I have been too embarrassed to talk to a girl whom I am infatuated with. I also would love to have a Joe (Seymour Cassel) to bring me out of my shell, and promise me my dreams in return for merely friendship, and would have the ability to put aside his unusual financing methods in order to see life as he does.   Once in a while, I feel as though there is a film made just for my benefit, and “In the Soup” is one of these. There are many films that make me think, and say something that I hadn't heard before, but there are very few that actually make me feel uplifted after watching.   (Four Stars)   This review was provided in HTML format, as your browser is not capable of displaying flash content. To experience Critical-Film.com the way it was meant to be seen, please download the flash player from <a href="http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash&promoid=BIOW">Macromedia</a>.