Mini Review: #112: The Remains of the Day (1993) (Patreon)

(UNCUT will be available for all Patrons but there also will be an edited version that'll go on Youtube!)

Recommended by Jonathan for me to watch and what a rollercoaster of a movie this was! I am not usually drawn to period pieces as my brain automatically assumes they will be boring but lemme tell you guys this movie was far from boring! It was such a dense and layered movie filled with insane performances, especially from Anthony Hopkins who delivers maybe one of his best ever??? The nuances that he had to preform were unbelievable and the complexity he portrayed across his face with the most minimal expressions was astonishing. His character alone felt more complex than many other characters I have seen in most movies! I would love to watch the movie again because I was a little bewildered at the end. I have my thoughts but I was definitely a little tired watching this one close to midnight and thinking about it maybe it wasn't such a good idea. Anyways, not only did Anthony Hopkins's performance captivate me, but the situation he was in was also really interesting. His character, Mr. Stevens, was a butler who served a British Lord who supported the German Nazi party. Whether he willingly supported them or was manipulated through his kindness in doing so was a little more up in the air but his allegiance was fairly clear. Because of this, the movie constantly asks Mr. Stevens big questions surrounding work and life and made me question Mr. Stevens as a person. I do think he is a good man, but a very conflicted one. He was the type of person who needed to be smashed open like a broken wine bottle in order for his emotions to finally flow. The cinematography and camera work was all top notch as well and while fairly simple, allowed for us to see Anthony Hopkins acting his chops off. Definitely check this one out if you have the time! It is one that flew under my radar but it is honestly a pretty amazing movie!!