Dog’s Movie House: “The Pale Blue Eye” Elevated By Christian Bale’s Performance!

“The Pale Blue Eye” was directed by Scott Cooper, a filmmaker known for his somewhat deliberate pacing. When it works (such as “Crazy Heart” and “Hostiles”) you get in-depth character studies at their finest. When it doesn’t (“Black Mass” and “Out Of The Furnace” come to mind) his films tend to be a little on the dull side. Thankfully “The Pale Blue Eye” is closer to the former than the latter though it still drags in spots. The story (also by Cooper) is full of interesting details and clues that you may miss if you’re not paying attention. Cooper has also assembled a fine cast, with Bale leading the way as Landor, a smart yet tormented soul who has a secret or two of his own. He is nearly matched by Melling, who makes an interesting choice to voice Poe like a southern gentleman. The accent is distracting at first, but you’ll soon get used to it. Other luminaries such as Timothy Spall, Simon McBurney, Toby Jones, Gillian Anderson, and the legendary Robert Duvall do fine work as well. There’s a nice third act twist that also enhances the enjoyment of “The Pale Blue Eye.” (Of course I’m not going to say anything: what kind of heartless reviewer does that?) Now streaming exlusively on Netflix, see “The Pale Blue Eye” for another excellent Bale performance and some stunning camera work, as well as a fairly decent detective story. 3 1/2 Out Of 5 On Kendog’s Barkometer! So Sayeth The Kendog!

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