Search - August on DVD

Fascinating cast, disappointing film.

Steve Kuehl | Ben Lomond, CA | 08/24/2008

(1 out of 5 stars)

"I had wondered when a mainstream film would attempt to show the business sector just prior to 9/11, and this was advertised to be it - all the way down to the month name in the title. By itself August would mean nothing in a title unless it had something to do with what changes the world a couple weeks later.

The casting choices also peaked my interest with David Bowie, Rip Torn, Chirqui and Naomie Harris. Josh Hartnett plays the CEO of an Internet company going through significant financial troubles. He plays the front of the future being extremely bright and everything being OK, even though his company should have been folding yesterday. Especially once the mandated recovery deadline of September 14th passes, the world should be his oyster. With them actually mentioning an important date for their company, I thought the film might go that far chronologically, but they do not.

The story starts right out in the high gear Hartnett's character plays most of the film, but it quickly dissipates into boring subplots, tons of unanswered questions, and eventually really bad acting. Even Torn's performance was staged (on purpose I guess since he is way better than this). The one saving grace comes towards the end with David Bowie's three minutes on screen; he was very believable as the hostile takeover kind of guy. But he vanishes and the film comes to an ambiguous ending that never even alludes to the upcoming destruction. It just fades to black and you realize you just wasted 90 minutes. They do interject one CGI shot of the twin towers, but nothing else ties together to the title relevance.

Hartnett is adequate, but his upcoming role in I Come With the Rain looks significantly more challenging and productive. Chirqui's role was for two scenes, and Torn for just a few minutes. Overall, this can't be given a higher rating as honestly, nothing really happens."

WOW! Part II

James S. Wesholski | Grand Rapids, Michigan United States | 09/16/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The first three reviewers of this film could not be more wrong - I just had the chance to watch "August" and found it satisfying on every level. This is the kind of movie that I love - one that sneaks in under the radar and knocks my socks off. Josh Hartnett, while never impressing me much in past roles, knocks this one out of the park. If I was in charge of Academy Award selections, he would be nominated for Best Actor for this role. Don't miss this one."

Distinctly underappreciated

One-Line Film Reviews | Easton, MD | 11/10/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Bottom Line:

Weaving an unmistakable atmosphere of gloom over the story of an arrogant dot-commer attempting to keep his dying company afloat several months after most other such companies have collapsed, director Austin Chick elevates August into quite a little modern tragedy; it was panned by critics but between the electric performance by David Bowie in the film's final act, a wonderfully sour Rip Torn, and the aforementioned direction by Chick there is a great deal to like in this already-forgotten picture

3/4"

A drama without drama

Stephanie L | Oklahoma | 03/02/2009

(1 out of 5 stars)

"Josh Hartnett doesn't do too many bad movies. While they aren't exactly blockbusters, they're usually conciderably entertaining. I don't know what went wrong with this film though. This was one of the dullest movies I've ever seen. The film follows a cocky young buisnessman around watching his company go from being the #1 new start up to dropping to nearly nothing until he has to sell it to David Bowie. It's a drama without drama I guess. There was just no point to it. A big disapointment."