Strange Days

1995 "You Know You Want It"
7.2| 2h25m| R| en| More Info
Released: 13 October 1995 Released
Producted By: 20th Century Fox
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website: http://www.strange-days.com
Synopsis

Former policeman Lenny Nero has moved into a more lucrative trade: the illegal sale of virtual reality-like recordings that allow users to experience the emotions and past experiences of others. While they typically contain tawdry incidents, Nero is shocked when he receives one showing a murder.

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Reviews

GamerTab That was an excellent one.
Spoonatects Am i the only one who thinks........Average?
Brennan Camacho Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.
Lucia Ayala It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.
jimbo-53-186511 Lenny Nero (Ralph Fiennes) is an ex-cop who gets off on selling his 'virtual reality' products on the black market (effectively allowing the buyer to do or see what they choose). However, when Lenny learns that his product has been caught up in a giant conspiracy he takes it upon himself to get to the bottom of said conspiracy...Kathryn Bigelow and James Cameron (or Mr and Mrs Cameron as they are/were otherwise known) have collaborated together to concoct this film and I'm sorry but I personally felt slightly disappointed by what I saw here...The film does get big points for style; the trippy nature of the narrative and the occasional explosive moments do give the film some momentum and tension, but these moments are dotted here and there and sadly do not do enough to pad out the rather generous 140 minute run time.It's beyond the hour mark before we get any semblance of a story and this may prove to be the breaking point for most viewers as the first hour is pretty boring (Cameron & Bigalow do little to move the story forward in the first half making the film feel a little self-indulgent and cumbersome at times).Things do pick up in the second half - it does at least become exciting and we do finally understand the significance of Nero's Virtual Reality world that he has created and one can see that he practically becomes a victim of his own success. The only part of the film that I actually felt invested in was Nero's love for Faith (Juliette Lewis) his determination to protect her was quite touching and even with the ridiculous plot turns at the end I did kind of care for them as people which kept me semi-involved with the story.The acting is what really sells this film and there is not one weak player in the main cast; they bring the film to life and despite the rather weak screenplay the talented cast do try their best to make it work, but sadly for me, overall it just falls short of the mark
Predrag "Strange Days" is a movie that has a bit of everything and ends up being a terrific cinematic experience. Set in a near future, the story deals with classic themes like virtual reality, thought control or the share of memory, providing and exciting and engaging cyberpunk adventure. Director Kathryn Bigelow creates a futuristic LA that manages to be both sophisticated and believable, avoiding the over-the-top, Utopian and not very realistic depictions of future societies presented in other sci-fi films. Although "Strange Days" is basically a thriller, it is way above many run-of-the-mill movies of its genre, as it succeeds at combining its key elements perfectly. The direction is dynamic, unique and fast-paced, adding style and energy with an excellent sense of rhythm, flow and tension. The acting is also a plus, since Ralph Fiennes is unforgettable as the flawed anti-hero Lenny and Angela Basset shines as his sister-in-arms Mace. This duo makes for an odd, yet original and memorable couple, delivering some enticing and moving scenes. It's also interesting seeing the female character protecting the male for a change, making for a clever reverse of the predictable and typical scenario of most action flicks. Juliette Lewis is also convincing as the dark and feral femme-fatal, especially when she sings a P.J. Harvey song to perfection (one of the many excellent and remarkable moments of this movie).The only problem is the script, which in its determined liberalism (the LAPD isn't really rife with racism, oh no, it's just a couple of loose cannons here and there) is at odds with the basically scary premise. In the end, it relies on the concept of The Good Cop and Real Love Conquering All. I don't suppose it could've been any other way, but...really.Although I am a fan of thrillers and sci-fi, a good story (giving the viewer a range of feelings and emotions) regardless of the genre is what truly sells to a wide audience. I believe that Strange Days is a good story told extremely well by the director, Kate Bigelow, using film.Overall rating: 8 out of 10.
SnoopyStyle It's the last days of 1999 in a violent Los Angeles. Lenny Nero (Ralph Fiennes) is an ex-cop who trades in clips of recorded memories. Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) records the wearer's brain waves which can be played and experienced. The technology is illegal and he works in the black market. Meanwhile, call girl Iris (Brigitte Bako) barely escapes from policemen Burton Steckler (Vincent D'Onofrio) and Dwayne Engelman (William Fichtner). They discover that she was wearing a SQUID. She finds her friend Lenny's car and slips him a clip. Lenny still misses his ex Faith Justin (Juliette Lewis) who left him for music producer Philo Gant (Michael Wincott). Max Peltier (Tom Sizemore) is Lenny's brash scraggly lowlife friend. Mace (Angela Bassett) is his more put-together friend.Fiennes has great jittery sleaziness. I like the idea of this gritty near-future including its campy touches. James Cameron may have stuffed in too much story. The movie needs to cut out something and I would probably pick Faith. Iris can instead be Lenny's ex. It would elevate the intense need to find her. The rest could be a great revenge film. The movie is so full that it doesn't really need the extra twist. Kathryn Bigelow's direction is good although she may need more substance to throw at the screen. She needs a bit more special effects and a little less of the cheaper looking real world stuff. A desolate street is just as effective as one filled with people. It looks like she tried to stage multiple riots which ends up looking cheesy. The money could be better spent with a trashed abandoned bad side of the town. The story gets a bit too complex and some simplification would be helpful.
Ariel Pitcher Have you ever wanted to experience life in someone else's shoes? Wanted to feel what they felt? See exactly what they say? See what another sees through his/her mind? Strange Days takes you closer to this than ever before, turning adrenaline junkies into full-fledged addicts. Brand new at the literal turn of the century this highly addictive and as of yet unattainable type of Virtual Reality takes over the city. One in which Adrenaline junkies get addicted to the high of living vicariously through the memories of other people. Dealers deal "hardware" and "clips". The story follows Nero, one such dealer. While there are difficulties with the plot this film forces us to live the reality of that which entertains us. Rather than inundating the audience with random acts of violence as simple entertainment, we are forced to recognize individual acts of violence as memories in people's real lives. We are able to see our own death through the eyes of our killer. This Virtual Reality experience highlights the sordid reality of what entertains us as people.