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The Take (2007) More at IMDb Pro »
12 out of 19 people found the following comment useful :-
Best Indie I have seen in years., 23 May 2008
Author: Mark Danchick from Hollywood, CA United States
When I watch the Director/Producers Comments on a rental, it is because I think a film is worth it. This was worth it. I am a big Film buff, I have been around the Industry all my life. I rate this movie a 10 in every aspect. Totally filmed in Boil Heights (East L.A.), Filmed in what they call Gorilla Filming (not done in a studio, but on the Fly). Very realistic, it was as if you were looking out your widow watching your neighbor. It is so realistic in the reaction and emotion of the characters. I have never seen better acting by John Leguizamo and Rosie Perez. The rest of the cast is perfect for their roles. I don't praise movies like I praise this, one of the best I have seen in many years.
5 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
A thoroughly believable and riveting movie with something most heist movies don't have... heart!!!, 27 May 2008
Author: sb30 from United States
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
The Take has some of the finest acting this year from Hollywood's finest actors. John Leguizamo is riveting as Felix, a family man whose life is ruined by no fault of his own. He is a family man and Rosie Perez as his wife Marina, is a devoted, religious woman whose nuanced performance along with John's tour de force role as LEADING MAN works because it is real. The children seem like they could be John and Rosie's children. The casting was that strong. Shot in a documentary style reminiscent of 70's movies, the director coaxs from ALL THE ACTORS scenes that are memorable for their family simplicity or violent realism. I particularly loved the scene when John begs for his medication, violently fights with his wife (Rosie), blaming her for his problems and her control of his meds, and watching it all is their young son. I could feel that family's pain. It was real and palpable. The movie didn't feel like a fiction to me. John and Rosie, who have played it funny in the past, are serious actors in meaty roles here. I definitely think they should be nominated for Indie Spirit awards if not Oscars!!!
35 out of 67 people found the following comment useful :-
acting OK... but very dumb., 14 April 2008
Author: bbenkeys from United States
Well, it was nothing what I expected- it was a lot worse.
There was no development of character and there were so many scenes that were irrelevant to the plot and totally cliché. Lenguizamo did a fair job but oh boy, he can't save the film. Rosie Perez is fun to watch.
The gritty, dark look of the film was overdone, hard to watch and it gave me a huge headache.
If you want to see a great gritty film, watch Memento.
Overall, I wouldn't recommend that one, unless you're a huge fan of Lenguizamo.
5 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
Authentic yet realistic without fear..., 3 June 2008
Author: SLVSteve from United States
The depictions and descriptions of the film can be read on numerous reviews here and elsewhere - but I have to say most of these writs seem determined to discredit a good film. I truly believe most can agree this is one of the best pieces of fiction best paralleling reality for L.A. filmed since (and including) Crash, Harsh Times, Training Day, etc.
Watching the deleted scenes, docu on filming, listening to commentary, and related media, they all reveal a true sense of wanting to make a non-Hollywood film with succession and an honest feeling of REALITY. Reading thru several armored car inside-jobs this film reveals a very authentic feel that deserves more credit than it is being given.
Outstanding performances by Cannavale, Perez and Gibson proving small films can bring the best out of someone. Regardless of the negative and technical reviews written about the end scenes and cultural inaccuracies - I have to give this film one of the most realistic portrayals I have seen in years centering around a man that is losing everything that makes him a man - and finds a way to regain it without being Jason Bourne or James Bond.
A worthwhile film that deserves a rent or maybe even a purchase for those from the areas of LA they film in…if anything - the sex scene is probably one of the most dedicated I have watched in some time - but at the same time shows a realism that mainstream cinema has missed for years…I will be recommending this title in my store for those looking for an authentic urban film.
1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
My Review, 8 August 2008
Author: joemamaohio from United States
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
Felix De La Pena (John Leguizamo) works as a bank driver, and he lives in the slums of Los Angeles with his wife Marina (Rosie Perez) and his two children. He's caring, compassionate and the perfect husband and father.
Until he's threatened by Adell Baldwin (Tyrese Gibson) and is shot and left for dead. When he awakens from his coma, he's a different man - angry, vengeful.
Agent Steve Perelli (Bobby Cannavale) is trying to solve the case, and realizes that it might've been an inside job, so he immediately suspects Felix. Felix then goes out and tries to find the people really responsible for what happened, before he takes the rap for it.
"The Take" is different from most action movies, because it focuses more on Felix's relationship with his family rather than the intense hunt for the people responsible for changing his life. It's not about big car chases, huge explosions and mob war - it's about a man faced with a new outlook on life, struggling to clear his name and find out who is really responsible.
2 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
Quality Movie, 13 June 2008
Author: julienifill from Barbados
A quality movie, very good character development, it shows how Leguizamo's character grapples with rehabilitation after his near fatal gunshot wound and how his wife Perez's character has to adjust in their relationship. Gibson's character is a strong character both physically and emotionally and these roles suit Gibson as opposed to a Baby Boy role. The police detectives are relentless in their pursuit of justice. Good movie, one negative aspect was the gross sexual scene between Perez and Leguizamo but I guess the director was trying to show how his injury adversely affected their intimacy. I recommend this movie to anyone and I look forward to future work from this director
3 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
Phenomenal Combination of Drama and Action, 11 June 2008
Author: phillystyle from Philadelphia, United States
I had the pleasure of seeing this movie at the Philadelphia Film Festival and was very impressed-- which doesn't happen often. The realistic approach the director took came across throughout the film! John Leguizamo, who was honored that night, seemed as genuine in real life as his character was displayed on the screen. His portrayal as a man struggling with himself, his family and a crime he didn't commit were well approached in the acting. The style of filming added realism, suspense and a darkness that helped get the viewer more internalized within the film. I would recommend this movie to my friends and others who enjoy this genre of movies.
3 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
Leguizamo's best performance. The grittiness of the film and the story told by new director, Brad Furman, is awesome. ., 31 May 2008
Author: (knowlegeable) from United States
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
John Leguizamo is known as a great character actor, but in THE TAKE he is the perfect lead man. He shows all of his many talents in the film as Felix, the lead, in this gritty Indie movie. Leguizamo grasps the opportunity and gives the best performance of his wonderful career. Additionally, Rosie Perez, as his wife, complements him perfectly. One of the things that elevates this film from the typical heist movie is that the viewer genuinely cares for Felix's family which is being torn apart by his tribulations. You feel the pain, torment, and absolute hell that Felix, his wife and 2 kids are living through as a result of the consequences of the vicious and callous shooting by Adell(Tyrese Gibson). The family just really fits and is real. Director Furman's casting was right on in putting this family together. Adell is one scary guy. The scene with his child on his lap beside a gun says it all.That vision will be embedded in the viewer's mind for quite some time. Furman uses classic 70s verite film making style and you feel like you are really right in the middle of Boyle Heights. The surrounding scenes and people are alive. The little girl crying and the crowd watching in awe as Leguizamo is led away by the police at the end is another unforgettable vision. The grittiness of the film sets the mood for a true Indie movie where the actors put us in a hellish like fantasy for 90 minutes.
4 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
Fresh direction. Compelling story. Captivating acting. Sharp dialog. Engaging camera work. Memorable score., 5 June 2008
Author: bretdw from United States
The Take is up there with my favorite independents of all time. Imagine The Departed if Scorsese had a $1 million budget and only a few weeks to shoot.
I was hooked from the opening sequence that bled East L.A. and framed the adventure to come. Leguizamo, in his best performance to date, becomes his character and pulls off the transformation of Felix from everyman to consumed by his own vindication. Rosie Perez is tossed between despair and hope as the audience wrestles the same conflict. Tyrese (perfectly cast) oh so subtlety growls as the unscrupulous villain with vicious apathy for his sins as he is absorbed by his mission. Support was well cast and effective with particular props to Perelli and Marco.
In addition to the opening sequence highlights include Tyrese's intro, Leguizamo's pained crawl, Rosie's first visit to the hospital, Leguizamo's fight with his TV, and the outstanding chase scene towards the end.
Bravo. Fantastic film.
4 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
This is what independent film-making is all about, 31 May 2008
Author: johnnyandthumper from United States
When you have $800,000 to make a film with an actor like Leguizamo and you're on location in a perilous neighborhood…and, when you have the passion and integrity that these filmmakers exhibit, it's difficult not to champion the spirit of independent film-making. As opposed to the grossly budgeted wastes that studios constantly call "films", here we have a filmmaker and a cast dedicated to story and to capturing something of the human condition. Hollywood pretends to have the answers and consequently puts out garbage because it makes money and justifies the jobs of bloated, overpaid executives who wouldn't know "art" if it bit them in the ass. Our culture goes to see these movies because their options are limited because of the far reach of the distribution system in place. That is why Soderbergh and others like him have experimented with non-conventional ways of distributing a film, so that money and time, our most valuable resources, are not squandered, but used wisely to reach more people with stories that are told using hearts, not egos.
I was at the premiere of "The Take" in Toronto last year and was very touched by the "Q&A" that followed the screening. To see this filmmaker stand in front of so many people and thank his parents, his cast and crew in a way that shared the adulation instead of hogging it for his own personal gain…this was encouraging. To learn of the trials and tribulations on this particular film was eye-opening and gave me a better understanding of what goes on "behind the scenes", particularly with little to no money. I'm learning that to get a film made outside the studio system is next to impossible. Many talk, few dare and even fewer actually do. Mr. Furman should be commended for his work, on screen, of course, but sometimes, where somebody might find a story lacking on the screen, if they look towards what happened off-screen, they may be heartened to know that art and artists are fighting hard everyday to bring their perspective of the world to as many people as possible. Nothing is perfect and a film that has all the answers (as most studio films try to convey) is not doing it's job to present the questions.
"The Take" is dark and bleak at times, but underlying its grit is a story of hope, reconciliation and the fight of the human spirit. It is really easy to judge and critique, but for those who have never made a film, perhaps try before you disparage the work of what I consider to be one of our great, future filmmakers and story tellers.
Oh, on a side, yet important note, the performance of John Leguizamo was one of the most real and heart-breaking of seen of his, and he's a fine actor.
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